Reverse Alphabet Marathon - Discussion Thread

[Achim]

Not given up here too.

It'll be a tight race, but I think I'll make it. (Even though I pend several evenings out of the house this months and had a new computer to play with.)

I'll be watching 2 tomorrow, then go on a short vacation (Vietnam) from Sunday till Thursday, leaving me with approx. 36 hours to watch 4 more movies...

[lyonsden5]

Had 23 people here for Thanksgiving. Clean-up/prep started over a week ago. People started arriving Tuesday night and were all gone last night. Gonna be watching the crap out of some movies this week to get as many done as I can. 

[Najemikon]

Stick a fork in me, I'm done! Watched Ikiru for U today completing my marathon. So there. 

By the way, Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru is a wonderful film that I don't recommend you watch; I demand it. It is beautiful and important, with more than a passing resemblance to Citizen Kane. It is about an office clerk who discovers he has stomach cancer and faces the realisation that he has done nothing of any note in his last thirty years. His son seems to see him as a burden and his colleagues know nothing about him. So he sets about trying to find something to care for, to care about. Hence the title ("ikiru" means "to live") The film is one of two halves; the second is after he has died and shows how his relatives and colleagues at his wake come to conclusions about his final months and we see their points of view in flashback. Very like Kane in how the journalists are trying to decipher "Rosebud".

Fantastic stuff. They don't make them like this anymore. There's a single shot toward the end I absolutely loved. Actually I don't think they can make them like this anymore...

[Tom]

Thanks for the recommendation! Looks interesting. I have put it on my wishlist and will order it the next time. Not this month though. I have vowed myself to not order anything new this month and until now I have persevered

[richierich]

Pass the fork, I'm done too 

[lyonsden5]

I watched two Robert Mitchum movies today. Macao and Home from the Hill.

Not much to say for Macao. Good enough but not great. He and Jane Russel didn't seem to have any real chemistry.

Home From the Hill on the other hand was really good. I love these "older" movies (1960) that have actors in their early roles. This one had both George Peppard and George Hamilton in it. Both early in their career. Good stuff.

At least one more today... Probably 20 Million Miles to Earth. Gotta finish this one. Didn't make it last month. 

[richierich]

I watched two Robert Mitchum movies today. Macao and Home from the Hill.

Never really watched much of Mitch, I always found him a bit wooden like John Wayne. Love Marilyn but my least favourite film of hers is when she played opposite Mitch in River of no Return, where again the chemistry seemed all wrong 

Thumbs up though to the Enemy Below, but I do love submarine movies for some strange reason 

[Najemikon]

You must watch The Yakuza. It's the best film I've seen that wasn't available on DVD for the longest time... er... that sort of makes sense... if you squint.

And as for the best Mitchum film already available on DVD, they don't come much better than Night of the Hunter.

[RossRoy]

Well, I'm giving this marathon a final push. I may change some movies from my list (basically change a few for shorter ones).

I've also decided to count "Shrek" as watched for this marathon. I've seen it 4 times this month (with my Niece) and I wasn't going to count it, but seeing as I'm having so much trouble completing this marathon, I thought why not 

Just did the same thing with "The Lion King", for the same reason

[RossRoy]

Just finished watching "The Sentinel" and "Sleepy Hollow".

I had seen Sleepy Hollow, but I didn't remember much of it, but as I was watching it, it brought back how much I like this movie. The imagery, Johnny Depp is good in the role, Christina Ricci cute as a button, the usual Tim Burton wackyness. Good movie, IMO.

The Sentinel, well, I'm confused. I don't know what to think. It felt like a pilot movie for a future 24 movie, even the "Damn it!" is included. I kept seeing Jack Bauer, and I was waiting for him to call CTU for backup. I don't know, it felt odd. Like if it was trying to be 24, yet didn't want to go there and go all out. Or is it simply that I will now always associate Kiefer with Jack? It's possible, yet I love him in Dark City. Oh well, I'm lukewarm towards The Sentinel.

[richierich]

You must watch The Yakuza. It's the best film I've seen that wasn't available on DVD for the longest time... er... that sort of makes sense... if you squint.

And as for the best Mitchum film already available on DVD, they don't come much better than Night of the Hunter.

Thanks Jon, will hunt The Yakuza out, read a review and it looks interesting
 
Rich

[lyonsden5]

Today was "The Stratton Story" with Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. Great performances by both (as you would guess). A good overcoming obstacles movie. Very motivational.

Currently watching "Chisum" One of my favorite John Wayne movies. (Love The Duke  )

[lyonsden5]

3 days to go..... 10 movies to go 

[RossRoy]

3 days to go..... 10 movies to go 

In my case: 3 days... 6 movies!

And there's one thing the might help: No hockey until Friday!

I can do it! 

[richierich]

Keep going guys!!!

You should be nicely warmed up then for Xmas marathon