RMN MOVIE CLUB

I like to think that we can probably wing it. Like if we have suggestions we'll sort of see what happens. I mean if five people are interested I doubt we'll actually need a poll we can just agree. But if we're suddenly twenty active interested parties it's a completely different thing.

What I'm saying is that this most organized organization of organizing does not need to be fully fleshed out until around this time next year. :)

I also liked how Prince Achmed occasionally felt like a sidescroller. Overall though it felt a bit like watching those old East Block cartoons that were always shown on tv when I was younger. (I guess they couldn't afford the american ones, those were always on commercial channels)

But I really liked the transformation scenes. The creation of the flying horse in the beginning and also the battle at the end where the wizard and the witch fight it out. (I read on Wikipedia that the Disney sword in the Stone transformation battle steals a lot of it. And I can see it)

Storywise if felt a bit random. Especially the bit where they suddenly visit the emperor of China. But I also have to admit that I don't think I've read that particular story if it's part of 1001 Nights.


As for Phantom Carriage I was surprisingly impressed by that one too. In both of these movies I found them sort of difficult to get into. Them being so old and the style being so different to what I'm used to. But by the end of the Phantom Carriage I was fully invested in all the stuff and anticipated the resolution. The resolution went where it was supposed to go but for a second I thought it wouldn't. It was also interesting plotwise. With flashbacks within flashbacks. It basically starts more or less where it ends but by the end everything you know about all the characters is completely different.

Of course this is a common story trope in all things these days. But I thought they pulled it off well. I could compare it to I saw Blood Brothers on stage the day before I saw the movie and it too starts off with a situation and then it gives the context for it all and it really works. Of course other than that Phantom Carriage and Blood Brothers have nothing in common. Phantom Carriage has more to do with A Christmas Carol I guess.

The main character is also really good in Phantom Carriage. He is incredibly irredeemable but somehow also very sympathetic.

Another thing I also sort of liked was how, how should I put it. It is a movie set in present day. But its present day is so damn different that just watching that was sort of interesting to me.

So does anyone have suggestions for February movies? Since it's a Leap Year maybe there are some movies where the Leap Year is a theme. Or Valentine's Day movies. I've heard good things about 30s/40s screwball comedies and there's something about dialogue from that era that is very pleasing. But I don't really know what are good ones or so. (a quick wiki-check suggests that there are lots!)

Oh man I haven't caught up with Hugo myself yet either. It would be a good pick. (Unless literally everyone else has seen it because it was a pretty big film wasn't it...)

The Third Man, I unfortunately have already seen too. I wouldn't mind rewatching it but I guess I'd prefer to watch things I haven't.

Also did anyone ever see War Horse? I love WW1 and I just never did... (Just thought of it because I believe it came out pretty close to Hugo)

Alright since the suggestions are really pouring and it's difficult to keep track of them all and since we're halfway through the month already I'll go ahead and arbitrarily decide that February's movie will be Hugo. It's recent enough to be readily available in most places I think.

On a side-thing I might watch Miller's Crossing since the Coens are coming out with a new movie (might already be out in some territories) and cashmerecat posted a Coens video thingy in slack that made me realize I really haven't seen very many of their movies!