September 26, 2013 // The Lives of Others // Caroline

Trillsters,

Please join me this Thursday for a viewing of The Lives of Others, a 2006-2007ish German film from writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. It's a bit dark and was underrated at the time, in my opinion. Some of you may have seen it, but I checked with others last time and I think at least 1/2 of the group hasn't. General lay of the land: it's set in East Berlin in the 1980s when government surveillance/Stasi were in every shadow -- and it specifically follows the lives of a few key characters who fall under investigation.

I don't think it's on Netflix Instant, but I'll figure out the logistics with Ben!

Thursday, House Garry, 7pm. We'll have pizza -- please bring beverages. Let me know if this works for you (and if like a million of you have already seen it!).

c

Another Ben Wheatley

Casa de Springer - 6:45 p.m., Thursday, September 12, 2013

I really enjoyed A Field In England and I'd like to see some other stuff by the same director. I've had Kill List (also directed by Ben Wheatley) on my watch list for a while, but I recall from a discussion at a previous movie night that a few folks in the group were not horror fans. I noticed that Wheatley also directed a movie that at least one critic described as "caustically funny." So, my pick is Down Terrace directed by Ben Wheatley. I haven't seen it before or done much research, so we'll either discover a new great movie or waste 89 minutes of our lives together. If some or all of you have already seen it, I have a backup movie that we can watch.

Pizza will be provided, bring some beer or other drink of choice (place in the lobby sells beer and soft drinks).

Springer

A Week Off?

I think it is my turn next, and work is a nightmare this week. Is it cool with everyone if we skip this week?  I'll host next week. Not sure what movie yet, but does Thursday of next week (September 12th) work for everyone? I know Bjorn will be on vacation but how about everyone else?

Please comment on your availability next week below.

Springer

70

So...

... hey, y'all.

I've let you down.

I haven't been here to enjoy and discuss your suggestions. 

I also made promises about an amazing series; a program I wouldn't stop talking about. A program that is just about finished but for whatever reason still isn't... a delayed wish.

I told you about this incredible show that I thought was worth rearranging the calendar for, and then I left on a jet plane, not knowing when I would be back again.

And for fuck's sake it still isn't done, so here's what we're doing next week:

Meshes of the Afternoon, the wonderful and surreal short from 1943 - to 70 years later - A Field in England.

Tuesday the 27th?

Don't watch MotA, but if you want, here's some AFiE: 

Possible Pizza Proposal???

Hey, Gang.  As you know, it was Rory's turn last week, but Netflix fumbled the movie so we ended up doing movie night freestyle and laughing at random stuff on youtube. I heard from Rory last night that we are skipping this week (August 11-17) but he'll have his movie ready to show next week. Rory bought the pizza last week and my feeling is he shouldn't have to buy our dinner twice in a row. How about we order pizza next week when Rory is showing and we just each pitch in to pay for it? Maybe Austin and Brittany could place the order and then we could just each pay them $5 or $6 or whatever covers it when we get there? Comment below if you are cool with this. After next week, we'll be back on schedule of whoever is showing buys the pizza.

Late post for tonight's film

I was recently reading about the winner of the 2013 Palme d'Or (Blue is the Warmest Color) at the Cannes Film Festival and began looking back at past winners of the award. I've heard and read really positive things about the 2010 film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives but I haven't seen it yet so I thought I would pick it for tonight so we can all watch it together. It's from Thailand, 114 minutes long, and was directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. I think we watched Syndromes and a Century, his 2006 film, in a previous incarnation of Movie Night. Anyway, tonight we'll be meeting at Brittany & Austin's place at 7:00 in the PM. Pizza will be provided but you may wanna BYOB. Oh, here is a poster for the film by Chris Ware.

Friday, August 2 // Santa Sangre // Bjorn

My pick for this week is Santa Sangre by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Jodorowsky is the legendary director of such films as "The Holy Mountain" and "El Topo", much admired by John Lennon, and credited with being the father of the midnight movie. His 1989 production, Santa Sangre, which translates to "Holy Blood", is quite possibly the greatest horror film you've never seen.

Set in the circuses and cabarets of Mexico City, Santa Sangre features a knife-thrower, a dwarf, a sacred pool of blood, a tattooed lady, a deaf-mute mime, a dying elephant, and a condemned church about to be bulldozed. And that's just the first half.

Most critics have described this movie as surrealistic, but other terms that have been used are "Felliniesque", "Bunuelian", "perverse" and "sadomasochistic".

Santa Sangre is one of those movies that either makes you run from the room screaming, or instantly google the director and add every one of his movies to your queue. I know which one I did.

Friday August 2, Havican House, 6:30pm. BE THERE.