James Bond isn't necessarily gender-specific. I'm a woman, and I love the improbable plots, silly gadgets, and strange combination of absurdity and dignity that is Bond. I like movies in which things blow up and/or that are full of large swords, and I hate so-called "chick-flicks".
If I were to suggest one, it would be:
Any Miyazaki, preferably one of his more obscure (at least in the U.S.) ones, like Pom Poko or The Cat Returns.
I adore Miyazaki.
:? I still say Miyazaki. If you want to choose a specific one, I would suggest something like My Neighbor Totoro: easy to get in most countries, family apropriate, and funny. If family fun isn't what we're looking for, perhaps Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (although that could prove quite difficult to find) or Princess Mononoke (which appearantly is a cult classic of a sort), or maybe Pom Poko (sp?).
I'm not sure, but I think Grave Of The Fireflies is Miyazaki. It would be the only one of his I haven't seen. I've heard it's one of the most depressing films in existance.
I've also already seen Citizen Kane and Casablanca, as well as Sunset Boulevarde and The Maltese Falcon, also classics.
I'm trying to get Netflix back so I can rent movies again without stopping at Blockbuster. But right now, if I were to go first, I am between two movies. They are:
1.The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T
A Dr. Seuss movie, very childish yet at the same time it has an innocent sense to it. Slammed at the time, it's not the best film but is decent.
My mom recently mentioned the film, so I looked it up on the net. Amazon.com is selling a DVD remake of the film, that apperantly was released in 2001.
Wildcard-Penn and Teller Get Killed
An absolutely amazing comedy, but it has the same problem that that all comedy movies would have here. Some people would like it, some people would find it unfunny, some people might find it offensive. Personally I love it, but that's just me.
I should decide on one soon.
I saw that one, I think Penn & Teller are hilarious. Their sense of humour can be kind of graphic at times though. They do alot of kind of playing around with gross out techniques that have been used in some horror films. Like for example, pulling a fake prosthetic but realistic looking arm off someone's shoulder, and fake blood spilling out.
[quote="Luai_lashire"]I'm not sure, but I think Grave Of The Fireflies is Miyazaki. It would be the only one of his I haven't seen. I've heard it's one of the most depressing films in existance.[quote]
I love Miyazaki's films. In fact I bought a plush version of the mouse Bou from Spirited Away, knitting from a ball of yarn from J-List. It's a San Fransisco company that orders directly from Japan. They have lots of collectable Miyazaki stuff, but it costs alot of money. Mostly due to the postage, since Japan is all the way on the other side of the world to the US. Maybe it's cheaper if you live like in England.
The reason Grave of the Fireflies is such a depressing film, is because it's a historical film about the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing.
"Grave of the Fireflies" is by Takahashi, not Miyazaki. But it is still by Studio Ghibli so it is still ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. But yes, VERY depressing. Don't watch this if you want to be happy that day. But I do recommend that you watch it, and lots of others.
Also, I don't think that "The Cat Returns" is by Miyazaki, either. It was produced by Miyazaki, but directed by Morida. But is a great movie. Also, if you like that one, You should watch "Mimi o sumaseba" (Japanese title) which I think is called "Whisper of the Heart" in English. That is not a fantasy tale, and is not by Miyazaki either. But it is the original story where the characters of Muta and Baron came from. And a really brilliant story too. Also check out the scene where Suzuku and Seiji start jamming on Seiji's violin in the basement, singing "Country Roads". I don't know why, but it's one of my favourite scenes in anime.
Also, have you checked out Lupin III "Castle Cagliostro"? That's Lupin (which is brilliant) and early Miyazaki film (1979 -- Five years before "Nausicaa" the first Ghibli film) So it is doubly brilliant, and really funny in places with impossible stunts like James Bond meets Looney Toons, or something.
Actually my favourite Miyazaki films are "Laputa" and "Sen-to Chiro" (or "Spirited Away" in English.) I love that the little long-eared creatures from Nausicaa make a reappearance on the island of Laputa. They are so cute. KA-WA-IIIII!!!! :lol:
"Grave of the Fireflies" is not about the Hiroshima bombing, and is not even set in Hiroshima. It is about two children who are orphaned in the fire bombing of Kobe. No Biggie. It's a common enough mistake.
Fire bombing would have been terrible as most of the houses in Japan would have been made of bamboo and paper.
More Japanese people died in the fire bombings than in both A bombs. But a large part of the devastation of the A bombs is that the effects last to this day.
But Grave of the Fireflies is a wonderful movie. (All the better because it portrays the character of a four year old child so accurately -- something which many movies fail to do. And Totoro is similar in this respect, although the theme is so different.)
Another great Japanese film (if you can get your hands on it) is "Black Rain" about the after-effects of the Hiroshima bombing. Or if you want something a little more lighthearted, try "Shall We Dance" (I haven't even bothered with the Western remake and don't really intend to.) or "Water Boys" -- about synchronised swimming.
Random films. Orlando, for one thing because I'm a sucker for Tilda Swinton. Little Voice, same thing, different person, Jane Horrocks. Schramm, by a Germ called something like Butgereit??? Holy Mountain, Jodorowsky. Clean, Shaven by Lodge Kerrigan. Slingblade, B B Thornton. A Korean movie were the guy eats a live squid. Tarnation. Shine, with Geoffrey Rush. Maurice (early for Hugh Grant. He's a little boring)... so many movies is lodged inside my head that I can't pick one without touching on several others and mixing up titles, actors faces, directors, year of make, location in space and time... I used to go to the cinema every other week or so for a number of years before I began to isolate myself and not go anywhere were I might meet any people I would have to chat to. It was a small cinema with 80 seats and every movie played 1 week, 4 shows. Rarely were all the seats taken. Always Quality. Another movie I'd recommend is Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" with Klaus Kinski.
Could anyone, who has the knowledge, point me to a short history of the Japanese Movie; 70ties and onwards...
The first modern Japanese film I saw was about a violant man who went about and hit people in the head with a hammer. All seemed very real and a bit sickening to my mind.
Film groups can be tough if group members have vastly different obscure interests. I tend to prefer French films - people like Jean-Luc Godard and Chris Marker are idles of mine. Although bubble gum French movies like Amelie aren't my bag. And while I loved anime as a child, as an adult it bores me to tears.
I love some French comedies, like the original version of "Three Men and a Baby", or... what was that one with Jean Reno as a Medieval Knight? The first of those was so funny.