Movies you have watched a lot of times.

[Norwegian]

The real question: how does one watch the same movies over and over?

But when you watch films by directors like Tarkovsky, Bresson, Bergman, Mizoguchi, Tarr, Parajanov, Rivette, Angelopoulos and so on, there's quite much to unpack.

Great to find someone with exactly the same taste as me. In terms of living filmmakers, what are you fond of, other than Tarr? For me, I get drawn to the theatres if there's a new film by Haneke, Ceylan, the Dardenne Brothers, Costa, Hsiao-hsien or Kar-wai. Zvyagintsev, Östlund, Mungiu or Sokurov would probably convince me as well.

Ceylan, Costa, Zvyagintsev, Reygadas, Jia Zhangke, Hsiao-hsien, Miike, Jodorowsky, Herzog, and Godard are some I can think of. I'm someone who for whatever reason prefer to watch films in my own home, rather than the theater. Expensive to take the bus back and forth, expensive tickets, etc...

Having said that, I am not a snob or anything. For example, I think I've watched all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, and enjoyed many of them, as it's straightforward entertainment in my eyes. Thor: Ragnarok was hilarious.

[Johnny Dangerous]

I have to be in the mood, but Tarkovsky is pretty damn amazing. Stalker is one of my favorite movies ever, but I really do need to be in the mood for it and kind of prepare myself. Plus, having three spare hours or whatever is not common these days.

[Norwegian]

Wow, my most quoted DW comment ever!

For the most part, this is exactly what people are NOT listing.

My involvement with avant garde cinema did not last long, however. I saw Tarkovsky's the Sacrifice in my college movie theater. I could follow the overall, but a lot of it didn't make sense. Like geese running around for no reason. I turned to one of my Russian housemates, who was in tears. "I didn't get a lot of that," I said. "You're not supposed to," was her reply.

I later enrolled in a modern art class. The amount of theory one had to learn to "truly understand" the art made my head spin.

I thought the Graduate and Citizen Kane were, in many ways, perfect movies. However, I have never felt the desire to watch them again (unless I were to "show it to some one"). The same goes with my other favorites, like Memento and the Matrix. When I watch older movies (showing them to my son for example--- we've gone through the Terminator, the Matrix, the Sixth Sense, Goldfinger, Die Hard etc.), they typically aren't as good the second time around, except to show how much of memory is reconstructed and untrue.

But had I stuck to rewatching, I may never have discovered such things like the Warrior (HBO), the Kingdom (Netflix), Lillyhammer, The Americans, Better Call Saul, etc.

But when you watch films by directors like Tarkovsky, Bresson, Bergman, Mizoguchi, Tarr, Parajanov, Rivette, Angelopoulos and so on, there's quite much to unpack.

I think the Bresson quote in the following article is important:

Bresson famously said “I’d rather people feel a film before understanding it.” Years later, Jacques Rancière echoed the French master in his book on Tarr, writing “cinema is an art of the sensible. Not simply of the visible.”

https://cinea.be/ways-of-seeing-satanta ... encounter/

Then there's the example of Tarkovsky, and the vastly different reactions and thoughts viewers had on watching his film The Mirror (worth reading): https://auralcrave.com/en/2018/07/17/th ... the-movie/

So, while film theory and philosophy can be fun, countless people have enjoyed films by not knowing any of this. I think whatever you do though, you should probably enjoy it on some level, instead of forcing yourself and be miserable.

I have to be in the mood

Same. Like say, a Deadpool movie, or an "entertainment-based" movie in general, is something I can watch at any given time of the day. But something more complex, that's something I have to be ready to watch, otherwise it's a no-go.

[Malcolm]

Lillyhammer,

Hilarious. Full disclosure, I've watched both the Sopranos and the Wire at least twice in their entirety.

[Johnny Dangerous]

I have to confess also that as I've gotten older and more generally exhausted I also like watching more...um, purely "entertainment" stuff.

That's putting it politely, the truth is, I watch some trashy stuff to relax.

[Svalaksana]

But when you watch films by directors like Tarkovsky, Bresson, Bergman, Mizoguchi, Tarr, Parajanov, Rivette, Angelopoulos and so on, there's quite much to unpack.

Great to find someone with exactly the same taste as me. In terms of living filmmakers, what are you fond of, other than Tarr? For me, I get drawn to the theatres if there's a new film by Haneke, Ceylan, the Dardenne Brothers, Costa, Hsiao-hsien or Kar-wai. Zvyagintsev, Östlund, Mungiu or Sokurov would probably convince me as well.

Ceylan, Costa, Zvyagintsev, Reygadas, Jia Zhangke, Hsiao-hsien, Miike, Jodorowsky, Herzog, and Godard are some I can think of. I'm someone who for whatever reason prefer to watch films in my own home, rather than the theater. Expensive to take the bus back and forth, expensive tickets, etc...

Having said that, I am not a snob or anything. For example, I think I've watched all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, and enjoyed many of them, as it's straightforward entertainment in my eyes. Thor: Ragnarok was hilarious.

Jia Zhangke has some great movies too, nicely remembered. The theater has a special aura for me. With good cinema it can be an unforgettable experience. However I've given up watching commercial productions in there, too many cellphones popping up midway, too much audience talking, I've even had a cleaning guy coming in before the movie was done, and start watching Youtube videos with volume on max, truly abhorrent behaviour.

I tend to watch many typical Sunday afternoon flicks with my girlfriend, brainless blockbusters, rom-coms or even some soppy Nicholas Sparks adaptation every once in a while. Unfortunately I really can't do the whole superhero thingy, just not my cup of tea I guess.

Anyways, I regularly do video essays for the kind of cinema mentioned earlier for Youtube, just for film education for anyone interested in world cinema. I'll leave the channel link here, in case you or anyone else might be interested to learn about cinema from all over the world:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvE_hF ... xMtUi_2NBA

[Malcolm]

I have to confess also that as I've gotten older and more generally exhausted I also like watching more...um, purely "entertainment" stuff.

That's putting it politely, the truth is, I watch some trashy stuff to relax.

Looking forward to Monster Hunters...when it is rentable for cheap...

[Johnny Dangerous]

I have to confess also that as I've gotten older and more generally exhausted I also like watching more...um, purely "entertainment" stuff.

That's putting it politely, the truth is, I watch some trashy stuff to relax.

Looking forward to Monster Hunters...when it is rentable for cheap...

I just saw it in an empty theater lol....

It does *not* disappoint and is one of the dumbest, funnest times I've had at the movies in years.

[Budai]

The Blair Witch Project.



Hehe.

J/k.

[tkp67]

If you are into surreal, dystopian, fantastic futures with gratuitous visually spectacular effects you might enjoy.


Gantz: O

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5923962/

[Svalaksana]

I have to be in the mood, but Tarkovsky is pretty damn amazing. Stalker is one of my favorite movies ever, but I really do need to be in the mood for it and kind of prepare myself. Plus, having three spare hours or whatever is not common these days.

Indeed, it is quite special. Don't how many more you've seen by him, but if you were grappled by Stalker, you are just as likely to be drawn and hypnotized by Zerkalo, Nostalghia and Offret.

[PeterC]

Lillyhammer,

Hilarious. Full disclosure, I've watched both the Sopranos and the Wire at least twice in their entirety.

The Wire has a good claim to being the best television series ever made. A lot of people give up partway through the first season because it does require a bit of effort and patience, but I don’t know anyone who got into season 2 who didn’t finish it and (usually) rewatch the whole thing at least once.

The Sopranos had its moments but it wasn’t in the same league.

I really wanted to like Lillyhammer but couldn’t get past the second episode...

[reiun]

For best ever tv series: Downton Abbey. Nothing else even close! (Of course, there's no accounting for taste.)

[Malcolm]

For best ever tv series: Downton Abbey. Nothing else even close! (Of course, there's no accounting for taste.)

I think All Creatures Great And Small is better. Whereas Downtown Abbey is about a family of entitled and neurotic snobs, who despite their position and conditioning engage in acts of surprising kindness, ACGS is about a young Glaswegian vet selflessly and lovingly giving himself to the care of the people and animals of a small, rural town in Yorkshire.

[reiun]

For best ever tv series: Downton Abbey. Nothing else even close! (Of course, there's no accounting for taste.)

I think All Creatures Great And Small is better. Whereas Downtown Abbey is about a family of entitled and neurotic snobs, who despite their position and conditioning engage in acts of surprising kindness, ACGS is about a young Glaswegian vet selflessly and lovingly giving himself to the care of the people and animals of a small, rural town in Yorkshire.

I will have to check out ACGS, given your strong rec, thanks! I was not surprised, as you said you were, by the kindness of DA's family. It seemed entirely in character. Obviously there were historical class strictures then, but in my view, the Crawleys came off the opposite of "entitled snobs"*, in both community and professional relations. Then, of course, the depiction of the other "family" living downstairs shouldn't be ignored. They had there own inter-family class issues too!

Also enjoyed the portrayal of women's emancipation as I rewatched the series in quarantine with my daughter.

*(Here we will make no comparisons with esoteric religionists.)

[Virgo]

Lillyhammer

Virgo

[mirrormind]

Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close and J. Malkovitch is one of my best loved movies - I enjoy the eloquence and wit of the dialogues, the acting is superb, and I relish the sheer maliciousness of the characters – whatever that says about my development of bodhicitta.

I also love watching films with Tilda Swinton and Johnny Depp, simply because I enjoy their beauty.

The Matrix is fantastic repeated entertainment, as is Alien. Also films by Peter Greenaway, David Lynch, Terry Gilliam etc – twisted plots and visual opulence one can feast on again and again.

12 Monkeys is particularly great to rewatch during a pandemic

[denise]

"Castaway" Tom Hanks

[tkp67]

12 Monkeys is particularly great to rewatch during a pandemic

I am so sorry. My mind didn't notice the correlation.

[tkp67]

Saving private ryan gets me choked up. I have my sappy moments.