An odd film thread

[h3g3l]

Has anyone seen ... Gabelstapler fahrer Klaus (Klaus the Forklift Driver)?

I first saw this in 2003 and can still watch it with glee.

I suppose this thread is a parallel one to the "games you like but no one knows about" thread - what short live-action movie do you like that isn't terribly well-known?

 

[dinorider]

I haven't seen Gabelstapler fahrer Klaus, but I do like odd movies. Some of my favorites:

La Science des rêves (The Science of Sleep). One of Michel Gondry's (who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind) less known films. IMDb says a little, but not too much about it: "A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is lovestruck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world."

La Cité des enfants perdus (The City of Lost Children). I'm told that this is a classic, yet few people I know have heard of it. Again, IMDb summarizes the story line pretty well: "A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process."

Gummo. Written and directed by Harmony Korine, who also made Kids and recently Mr. Lonely. IMDb says: "Lonely residents of a tornado-stricken Ohio town wander the deserted landscape trying to fulfill their boring, nihilistic lives." The whole movie left me with a reflecting sense of depression.

Mysterious Skin. Ok, not that unknown I guess. But it's not entirely well known, and just such a strong and great movie. The director, Greg Araki previously made films that were a lot weirder, but this is by far his best. Once more, IMDb says: "A teenage hustler and a young man obsessed with alien abductions cross paths, together discovering a horrible, liberating truth."

The Grandmother. This time IMDb says it all: "A young boy plants some strange seeds and they grow into a grandmother. Short, surreal, and David Lynch's third film."

Oh, and I know it's a well known film, but if anybody has missed it they should see Donnie Darko. Preferably the director's cut. Now!

 

[Fire2box]

I saw the science of sleep and it wasn't that great of a movie though I did like it better then Be Kind, Rewind.

However Enetral Sunshine Of The Spotless mind is a lot better then either of those.

Donnie Darko is always a great movie.

 

[dinorider]

I saw the science of sleep and it wasn't that great of a movie though I did like it better then Be Kind, Rewind.

However Enetral Sunshine Of The Spotless mind is a lot better then either of those.

Donnie Darko is always a great movie.

I personally loved The Science of Sleep, just like i did with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind. Despite it's name it's less sciency than Sunshine.

The pacing was slower overall, and the dream scenes were different. Actually, they were pretty close to my own way of dreaming. Maybe that's why I liked them so much.

I loved the whole confusion in it. Similar to Sunshine, but it really felt like the confusion of mental problems rather than being hooked up to a memory eraser.

And yes, on the point of Be Kind Rewind, I was very disappointed with it. Having seen two great films by Gondry plus knowing the major hype it had, I had hoped for more than a somewhat amusing first half and some funny montages.

Leaving Gondry, I though of another gem:

The Signal. I don't know how big this was worldwide, but in Sweden it didn't receive any press or spread at all. Usually, multiple directors directing different parts is a recipe for disaster. This time it worked IMO. The second third is gold. IMDb plot: "A horror film told in three parts, from three perspectives, in which a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers invades every cell phone, radio, and television"

 

[h3g3l]

La Science des rêves (The Science of Sleep). One of Michel Gondry's (who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind) less known films. IMDb says a little, but not too much about it: "A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is lovestruck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world."

Aha! That's the one with the hand-knitted horses and scenery, isn't it? I saw that and had a distinctly "cannot ... turn ... away" experience.

Oh, and I know it's a well known film, but if anybody has missed it they should see Donnie Darko. Preferably the director's cut. Now!

Whenever this comes on television, I'll sit and watch it. It's still interesting to see the orb/blob/snake coming out of people's chests.

I'm not sure how popular this is, as I don't watch anime, but I also quite enjoyed Paprika.

 

[dinorider]

Aha! That's the one with the hand-knitted horses and scenery, isn't it? I saw that and had a distinctly "cannot ... turn ... away" experience.

Indeed it is. The title by itself gave me that experience. Man, I wish Gondry would make another mind/dream-flick.

I'm not sure how popular this is, as I don't watch anime, but I also quite enjoyed Paprika.

I haven't heard of it before. But it's now on my to see-list. Sounds interesting.

A few others that popped into my head:

The Chumscrubber. IMDb says: "The Chumscrubber is a darkly satiric story about life crumbling in the midst of a seemingly idyllic suburbia." And it is, in a very enjoyable way. Some would call it plain weird, but I found it very enjoyable.

Festen (The Celebration). If there's one nordic film maker you need to know besides Ingemar Bergman, it's the Dane, Lars von Trier. Known for his "Dogma" genre of films. Saying more than IMDb would be giving to much away: "At Helge's 60th birthday party, some unpleasant family truths are revealed." This is just the definition of a good family drama.

Shortbus. If you cringe at the thought of gay sex, this isn't for you. If you're ok with that you're in for a treat, and I don't mean like a porno. All knowing IMDb has this to say: "A group of New Yorkers get caught up in their romantic-sexual milieu converge at an underground salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality."

Happiness. This movie has you smiling at the most horrible things with it's excellent dark satire. Even rape and pedophilia. It's just so damn close to perfection like that. For once, the IMDb plot can be disregarded as it says almost nothing about the real movie.

Achi-wa ssipak. Weird story, but well done Korean animation. IMDb: "In a future where energy is made from fecal matter, the government rewards defecation with "juicybars". Small-time hustlers try to get rich while fending off the mutated Diaper Gang." And no, it's not like the Diaper Gang are *B/DL related.

So, anybody wants me to stop hijacking this thread sometime soon?

I'll gladly take any tips for more films with pitch black humor. Like The Chumscrubber and Happiness.

 

[h3g3l]

Shortbus. If you cringe at the thought of gay sex, this isn't for you. If you're ok with that you're in for a treat, and I don't mean like a porno. All knowing IMDb has this to say: "A group of New Yorkers get caught up in their romantic-sexual milieu converge at an underground salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality."

*Looks over at DVD shelf*

*Ahem*

I, erm, I own this one. I got it (sight unseen) because it doesn't end predictably, and of course, because it's full-on hot sweaty monkey-sex. Good for making would-be DVD-shelf snoopers do a double-take.

Also, I'd heard that CBC anchor/hostess Sook-Yin Lee very nearly lost her job over it; I wanted to lend some support while also getting a movie that promised to be interesting.

So, anybody wants me to stop hijacking this thread sometime soon?

I'll gladly take any tips for more films with pitch black humor. Like The Chumscrubber and Happiness.

Hey, that's what this thread is for. We've already got some more movies to check out, and this is a good thing. I'm currently looking for the 1990-1991 release of "1001 Nights," but that's just because I'm a Catherine Zeta-Jones fan (her looks, not her acting).

This will be well-known if you're Asian, but my happiest movie find has to be Totoro.

 

[Dream]

This will be well-known if you're Asian, but my happiest movie find has to be Totoro.

If you like that movie, you should watch Hayao Miyazaki other movies, like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, etc. His movies are some of the best anime movie ever made.

 

[Boogeyman]

If you like that movie, you should watch Hayao Miyazaki other movies, like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, etc. His movies are some of the best anime movie ever made.

Aww, shit, Howls moving castle! That movie was the shit back in the day.