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21-02-2007, 10:46 PM,
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El Gordo
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Posts: 4,591
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
Caught up with the second injection of DVDs while I was away.
The star, without doubt, was Dead Man's Shoes. Great recommendation from Glaconman for a film I'd never have known existed.
It's a FilmFour-backed movie, and has a strong low-budget Ken-Loach-like feel. This is real England: no glamour, no gloss, no stars, no self-conscious 'performances'. A totally naturalistic, bleak portrayal of a Peak District community. Bunch of guys behaving in ways that some distant bit of my youth could resonate with -- idle, boozy, constant partying -- suddenly terrified by the return to the town of a soldier hell-bent on revenge for the way they treated his emotionally-disturbed (is that the right euphemism for "nutty"?) younger brother.
I won't say much more than that. It's not a Schwarzenegger-type of sci-fi giggly violence. This is gritty and raw and desolate stuff, but has a soft, emotional underbelly that makes the experience even starker. It's also got a couple of narrative twists in the tail that take it from good to very good. Highly recommended.
Trailer -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/trai...27353-10-2[url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/trailers-screenplay-E27353-10-2][/url]
Blood Simple, the first movie from the Coen brothers, is the first step in my chronological Coen education. Half-decent thriller too. Another pretty low budget enterprise I'd say but the sleazy world of Texas bar culture and double-crossing seems authentic enough. It has a sort of understated film noir feel to it. Nearly all the characters are corrupt and loserish. A few holes in the plot (unless I missed a couple of things) but I can forgive that. This is cinema. We tend to believe whatever we're told. Well worth catching up with.
Not the case with Raising Arizona. Sorry, but I didn't get it. At least, I didn't get the hour or so that I managed to watch. I couldn't bear to waste any more of my life beyond that point, so I turned it off and stared at the wall instead. Much more enjoyable. Maybe it was just me but the combination of Beverly Hillbillies humour and "Three Men and a Baby" cutesiness did nothing for me. I don't want to talk about it anymore. For me, a miss.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
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21-02-2007, 11:52 PM,
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Sweder
Twittenista
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Posts: 6,577
Threads: 420
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
andy Wrote:Not the case with Raising Arizona. Sorry, but I didn't get it. There's not much to get (which may be the problem) and certainly nothing to be sorry about. I guess it depends on your mood; sometimes films are there to set your synapses a-poppin', at other times they exist purely as amusing (or not), mindless time-fillers. I know people who swear allegiance to anything Woody Allen churns out and I just don't see the magic; only a rather annoying little man who seems fixated with the same, endlessly repeated self-effacing jokes.
Mrs S and I watched and fell in love with Mel Brookes's Young Frankenstein in our younger days. We howled with laughter, tears rolling down our cheeks, quoting lines to anyone who'd listen for ages (until finally we had to relocate under a government protection scheme). Our son watched it the other night and declared it to be utter tripe. We never told him about the home-grown enhancements we enjoyed back then, which perhaps might be viewed as unfair.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
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22-02-2007, 12:01 AM,
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El Gordo
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Posts: 4,591
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
If I'm honest, there were some good lines in it like:
Ed McDonnough: You mean you busted out of jail.
Evelle: No, ma'am. We released ourselves on our own recognizance.
Gale: What my brother here means to say is that we felt that the institution no longer had anything to offer us.
(Thanks to imdb.com)
Maybe I'm just getting too old for extended slapstick. And yep, I agree that youthful enhancements may once have made a difference.... 
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
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22-02-2007, 05:20 PM,
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Ana
Senior Member
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Posts: 289
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
I have seen "The Queen" yesterday.
Curious film, even if I do not believe at all that it reflects what really English Royal Family or Tony Blair thinks.
What they really intend inside their own mind could be better, or could be worst, but Mr Frears doesn't Know...
I imagine that Elisabeth do not pretend to be a "popular" person. Her own work consist on staying in a different (higher) level. 
Which this film really attacs, from my point of view, is not The Queen, it's Ms. Blair!  (She seems to be an intransigent wicht  )
But it is funny how different you (english) are. I am not an expert, I was only twice in Englad (Porthmouth and London) and my impression is that you are really different. It is not a critic, I only mind different.
I believe also that this film is made for foreigner. I do not see which could be the interest of this history for you.
Ana
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22-02-2007, 05:44 PM,
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Sweder
Twittenista
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Posts: 6,577
Threads: 420
Joined: Nov 2004
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
Ana Wrote:I do not see which could be the interest of this history for you. I agree with you on the subject matter.
However, we should forgive you Ana for not knowing that for Englishmen of (ahem) a certain age, watching Helen Mirren in anything (or, preferably, very little) brings about a wonderful feeling of immeasurable joy
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
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22-02-2007, 06:03 PM,
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Ana
Senior Member
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Posts: 289
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
Yes, I understand. You can call me short-sighted, but I feel the same with Gerard Depardieu.
Now, I will change my foto, I am tired of cats :p
Ana
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22-02-2007, 10:05 PM,
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Antonio247
Moderator
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Posts: 1,619
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
I´ve tried to insert a picture with my name but I don´t know if I´ve been successful.
Greetings from Almería
Antonio
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22-02-2007, 10:07 PM,
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Antonio247
Moderator
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Posts: 1,619
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
No, I´m afraid I haven´t done it well.
How can I include a picture under my nick?
Gracias.
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22-02-2007, 10:15 PM,
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Antonio247
Moderator
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Posts: 1,619
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
Gracias, Andy.
I´ll see if I´ve been lucky now.
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22-02-2007, 10:18 PM,
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Antonio247
Moderator
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Posts: 1,619
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
Oh, yes.
Muchas gracias, Andy.
It is a view of the bay of Almería with Cabo de Gata at the background where we went on your first day in Almería this year. Happy memories.
Saludos desde Almería
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23-02-2007, 01:23 AM,
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Sweder
Twittenista
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Posts: 6,577
Threads: 420
Joined: Nov 2004
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
andy Wrote:I hope to see The Queen soon About time too.
Is the gong for services to journalism or to sport?
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
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23-02-2007, 11:14 AM,
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Ana
Senior Member
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Posts: 289
Threads: 12
Joined: Dec 2006
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Dead Man's Shoes/ Blood Simple / Raising Arizona
andy Wrote:I think I may have worked out why you have trouble running more than 3.5km......
Yes, it is a little bit difficult to run,
but I am happy
I step on the puddles like a kid
After,
just scatter them a hose down in the garden
and my mamy never argued to me
They are full better than MLCM Asics Kayanos
Ana
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