Member Takuma Posted September 22, 2011 Member Share Posted September 22, 2011 A bit surprised to see no one here is talking about the best film of the year. Can't wait to see it again... Drive (USA, 2011) – 4.5/5 Walter Hill’s The Driver. William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A. Jean Pierre Melville’s Le Cercle Rouge. The kinds of movies they don’t make anymore. Except Nicolas Winding Refn does. The Danish director appears to be an exception to the rule that celebrated European filmmakers always fail with their Hollywood debuts. Drive is the best American crime film in ages. The relatively simple but often stunningly intensive (the opening is amazing) neo noir strongly resembles 1970’s and 1980’s crime cinema but is no rip off – it’s the real deal. No ADHD editing, no trendy CGI action, just a simple mafia story of a Hollywood stunt driver who does driving gigs for criminals at night – and gets involved with the wrong people. Violence is very sparse, but also very strong when it hits. A couple of overly artistic music choices on the otherwise excellent soundtrack are the only flaw. T0ehK7BG7KM Refn apparently caused a bit of scandal in the UK by saying "fucking" on live morning TV... and amazement every where else regardning why were they discussing an 18 rated movie on morning family show anyway? Pretty absurd that one curse word caused so much talk when the film itself features some of the most violent moments in recent mainstream cinema... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted September 22, 2011 Member Share Posted September 22, 2011 @Takuma, what are your top 10 movies of this year??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted September 22, 2011 Author Member Share Posted September 22, 2011 Hardly worth listing because I've hardly seen any great 2011 movies yet (looking forward to seeing a ton, though). But it's safe to say Drive will probably remain the best, as it's one of the best American films in at least a decade. ok, this list is a better reference: Top Ten 2010 & 2011 1. Kyojima 3rd Street Sumida City (2010) 2. Drive (2011) 3. Reindeerspotting (2010) 4. Heaven's Story (2010) 5. Sketches of Kaitan City (2010) 6. Armadillo (2010) 7. Cold Fish (2010) 8. Boys on the Run (2010) 9. Kill List (2011) 10. Alien vs. Ninja (2010) (Runner ups: Karate-Robo Zaborgar, Inception, Rubbers ou onna, Die farbe) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted September 23, 2011 Member Share Posted September 23, 2011 takuma, i also liked Kill List. The horror references were another highlight of it. I will also add The Skin i live in in the top 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted September 23, 2011 Member Share Posted September 23, 2011 I'm interested in seeing this but I am concerned that it's overhyped. Well perhaps rent this in six months sometime after it's released and the Hype dies down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted September 24, 2011 Member Share Posted September 24, 2011 I'm interested in seeing this but I am concerned that it's overhyped. Well perhaps rent this in six months sometime after it's released and the Hype dies down. I saw it last night and I thought it was a pretty good movie just not the best movie ever like everyone is saying. The movie reminds me a lot of History of Violence(a movie which i enjoyed) because of the almost random short bursts of brutal violence. The characters in both movies take the extra mile in killing someone. Anyways, Drive is a simple movie but worth the watch. I give it a 7.5-8/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Markgway Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I'll check it out on DVD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted September 24, 2011 Member Share Posted September 24, 2011 3. Reindeerspotting (2010), I have got to see this movie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Markgway Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 It's about Reindeer that inject heroin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted September 24, 2011 Member Share Posted September 24, 2011 It's about Reindeer that inject heroin. LOL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted September 25, 2011 Member Share Posted September 25, 2011 I saw it last night and I thought it was a pretty good movie just not the best movie ever like everyone is saying. The movie reminds me a lot of History of Violence(a movie which i enjoyed) because of the almost random short bursts of brutal violence. The characters in both movies take the extra mile in killing someone. Anyways, Drive is a simple movie but worth the watch. I give it a 7.5-8/10 Cheers, it's great to hear some more down-to-earth comments about the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 26, 2011 Member Share Posted September 26, 2011 Some random thoughts on the film: The film certainly reminds you of a David Cronenberg movie in it's use of violence though I wouldn't say Drive is as good as Eastern Promises or The History of Violence. Drive is quite a good film, avoid the hyperbole or you will be disappointed though. Refn took a minimalist approach to this movie and took out much of what he considered not to be needed (backstory, dialog). He also puts a lot of touches in that other directors would have missed making certain aspects more realistic or at least more contemplative (not wanting to spoil anything so I'm being vague) in this genre film. Roger Ebert had called this existentialist as well as the director, but it doesn't feel as much so as say Two-Lane Blacktop especially in the second half of the film. But with an unnamed laconic lead as The Driver who can be prone to quick acts of violence leads to some very interesting scenes. Going through Ebert’s review I noticed he is completely wrong about “Standard isn't jealous or hostile about the new neighbor, but sizes him up, sees a professional and quickly pitches a $1 million heist idea.” This is not even close to what happened in the film. The performances are quite good especially Ryan Gosling though sometimes you wonder if Ron Perlman is overdoing it as Nino. When seeing Bryan Cranston it is hard now not to think of Breaking Bad . Albert Brooks is quite believable. The opening car chase is one of the more intelligent ones I have seen in its use of strategy and effectiveness. Refn is certainly influenced by Bullitt and that shows in the later car chase. Not sure what the heck is up with the soundtrack and some of the worst title fonts I've seen since The Silence of the Lambs. Easily worth watching, now I need to go see Bronson (which I do own). I've edited this several times since posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted September 26, 2011 Author Member Share Posted September 26, 2011 Not sure what the heck is up with the soundtrack and some of the worst title fonts I've seen since The Silence of the Lambs. You gotta be kidding! The coolest title fonts since To Live and Die in L.A ! Those fonts alone make me want to raise my rating to 5/5 And the soundtrack... ok, the mask scene near the end misfires, but otherwise... what can I say, fuckin fantastic! Dammit, still two weeks till the theatrical opening here. Caught the fest screening, but can't wait to see it again... Meanwhile, watch To Live and Die in L.A for the 5th time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 26, 2011 Member Share Posted September 26, 2011 You gotta be kidding! The coolest title fonts since To Live and Die in L.A ! Those fonts alone make me want to raise my rating to 5/5 And the soundtrack... ok, the mask scene near the end misfires, but otherwise... what can I say, fuckin fantastic! Dammit, still two weeks till the theatrical opening here. Caught the fest screening, but can't wait to see it again... Meanwhile, watch To Live and Die in L.A for the 5th time. Have you seen Two-Lane Blacktop? Criterion has a great release of this film. Warning, it is much more pondering . I would love to see an argument about fonts in film (possibly sans serif vs. serif). I just imagine that the driver would have completely different taste in music . The mask scene was pretty cool, at that point I wasn't paying attention to the soundtrack though. I was pretty happy seeing it with mostly an empty theater. I tend to like those showings because I can avoid annoying crowds and concentrate on the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted September 26, 2011 Author Member Share Posted September 26, 2011 I've seen Two-Lane Blacktop. Watched it about 1½ years ago when I was doing a write up on Japanese 1970's car chase movies and needed to catch up with the US stuff I had missed. Didn't care that much for it, to be honest, although I can see where the appreciation comes from. Speaking of audiences, I can imagine it would be hell to watch Drive with a disappointed Transporter / Transformers audience... thankfully Finnish (and Japanese) audiences are exceptionally silent bunch most of the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted September 26, 2011 Member Share Posted September 26, 2011 I've seen Two-Lane Blacktop. Watched it about 1½ years ago when I was doing a write up on Japanese 1970's car chase movies and needed to catch up with the US stuff I had missed. Didn't care that much for it, to be honest, although I can see where the appreciation comes from. Speaking of audiences, I can imagine it would be hell to watch Drive with a disappointed Transporter / Transformers audience... thankfully Finnish (and Japanese) audiences are exceptionally silent bunch most of the time... Well it is an art-house existentialist film . Interesting that it, with trouble, was a mainstream release. But one of the more intelligent films. Here it depends on what audience you watch a film with. Going to an art-house theater you usually get a good crowd. I don't mind certain films with mainstream crowds, but I don't like to watch a film with a disappointed audience or angry audience. I would hate to watch a film with a dissapointed French audience . A couple of interesting reviews and interviews on this film: http://www.moviefanfare.com/movie-buzz/shifting-into-drive-with-nicolas-winding-refn/ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110914/REVIEWS/110919988 http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2011/09/drive_an_under-the-hood_manual.html#more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member massa_yoda Posted September 27, 2011 Member Share Posted September 27, 2011 thankfully Finnish (and Japanese) audiences are exceptionally silent bunch most of the time... I think I may need to move then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted September 29, 2011 Member Share Posted September 29, 2011 I loved Drive, will watch it again. Soundtrack was some good euphoric shit!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted October 8, 2011 Author Member Share Posted October 8, 2011 ok, seen it three times in cinema now. Pretty safe to say it's not just the best film of the year, it's the best film in years... Wrote a new mini-review after the third viewing: Drive (USA, 2011) – 5/5 The best crime film in decades, period! Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Hollywood debut is a violent L.A. fairytale that is equally romantic as it is brutal. Ryan Gosling, playing his role with Melvillean cool, stars as a nameless driver. He's a silent observer who daydreams of being a real hero - but the reality doesn’t give in. This defines the film’s tone: from superbly stylized 1980’s opening credits to L.A aesthetics reminiscent Michael Mann the film is a mixture of pop, long silences, and hard hitting brutality. Amazingly, and thanks to Refn’s extremely strong character direction, the film stands on its own feet and comes out near flawless despite a ton of obvious influences (The Driver, To Live and Die in L.A, and so on). It’s only around the 70 minute mark where the film hampers a little bit in unfolding the storyline – these scenes are no match for the build-up, which is what Refn’s film is all about. Terrific soundtrack and stunning use of widescreen cinematography support the mood pic. This is one of those films that only get better on repeated viewings. Most movies only hold up for one viewing, but with Drive it's the opposite: it's only on repeated viewings that you truly notice things such as: - The 2.35:1 cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen. On third viewing I knew the story and dialogue inside out, but my jaw was dropping throughout the film because of the cinematography and framing. Films like this are why cinemas were invented. - How damn good Gosling's character is. And the performance. This really holds closer inspection. Mulligan and Books are damn good, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 ok, seen it three times in cinema now. Pretty safe to say it's not just the best film of the year, it's the best film in years... Wrote a new mini-review after the third viewing: Drive (USA, 2011) – 5/5 The best crime film in decades, period! Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Hollywood debut is a violent L.A. fairytale that is equally romantic as it is brutal. Ryan Gosling, playing his role with Melvillean cool, stars as a nameless driver. He's a silent and reserved observer, somewhere deep in his mind there’s a dream of being a real hero – but the reality doesn’t give in. This defines the film’s tone: from superbly stylized 1980’s opening credits to L.A aesthetics reminiscent Michael Mann the film is a mixture of pop, long silences, and hard hitting brutality. Amazingly, and thanks to Refn’s extremely strong character direction, the film stands on its own feet and comes out near flawless despite a ton of obvious influences (The Driver, To Live and Die in L.A, and so on). It’s only around the 70 minute mark where the film hampers a little bit in unfolding the storyline – these scenes are no match for the build-up, which is what Refn’s film is all about. Terrific soundtrack and stunning use of widescreen cinematography support the mood pic. This is one of those films that only get better on repeated viewings. Most movies only hold up for one viewing, but with Drive it's the opposite: it's only on repeated viewings that you truly notice things such as: - The 2.35:1 cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen. On third viewing I knew the story and dialogue inside out, but my jaw was dropping throughout the film because of the cinematography and framing. Films like this are why cinemas were invented. - How damn good Gosling's character is. And the performance. This really holds closer inspection. Mulligan and Books are damn good, too. DUDE! You TOTALLY stole that review from BNB's Hungfist, you thieving bastard you! http://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4449&start=5360 He's SO gonna kick your ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted October 9, 2011 Author Member Share Posted October 9, 2011 He's SO gonna kick your ass. DUDE! You TOTALLY stole that joke from Sushi Typhoon twitter, you thieving bastard you! Tak Sakaguchi will direct & star in period action film CAIN VS ABEL. Tak will play both CAIN *and* ABEL, and beat himself up! - http://twitter.com/sushi_typhoon (sadly it was posted on April 1 ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 DUDE! You TOTALLY stole that joke from Sushi Typhoon twitter, you thieving bastard you! - http://twitter.com/sushi_typhoon (sadly it was posted on April 1 ) Wait what who!?!?!? I don't steal jokes. I'm just unoriginal, lazy and predictable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted October 9, 2011 Author Member Share Posted October 9, 2011 Woman Sues Drive for Being Too Good, Not Enough Like The Fast and the Furious - http://www.beyondhollywood.com/woman-sues-drive-for-being-too-good-not-enough-like-the-fast-and-furious/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted October 9, 2011 Member Share Posted October 9, 2011 Wow. I thought this was a spoof story or something. Sheesh! Some people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted October 10, 2011 Member Share Posted October 10, 2011 Woman Sues Drive for Being Too Good, Not Enough Like The Fast and the Furious - http://www.beyondhollywood.com/woman-sues-drive-for-being-too-good-not-enough-like-the-fast-and-furious/ All it takes is a couple of google searches/forum discussion and synopsis to know the difference between this movie and fast and the furious.. Clearly she didn't do her research and clearly she can't distinguish between what is real and what is movie magic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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