I'm so torn on Burton, the guy made some really good movies at one point, but he's become such a hacky sell-out.

The only film of Burton's that I do not like at all is his remake of Planet of the Apes. I can still find nice things to say about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (though Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory still trumps it ten ways from Tuesday). Sleepy Hollow, and Big Fish...the three Burton films I have the least amount of love for (but still like a whole lot more than many films out there).

I get concerned when I see that he's remaking something. Planet of the Apes has put that fear in me. That being said, I can think of no material more suited to Tim Burton's mind than Alice in Wonderland. I'm super excited to see what he's done with it.

I'm also on pins and needles for 9 (yes, I know he's a producer and not a director on this one; still, YAY). Every time I see the preview, it gives me goosebumps.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

We need a tribunal with the authority to punish artists of any kind that fall into a rut.

How's come no one is fussing about Tarantino making the same movie over and over?  He's more guilty of it than Burton.  Not to say that I don't like his movies either.

I refuse, REFUSE, to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I was so pissed that was even made.  I drove everyone around me crazy with my bitching about redoing such a brilliant movie.

I like some of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries.  Best in Show is quite funny.

Yeah, I don't really care for Tarantino all that much. He has his moments, but I think after Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, he just got too self-indulgent. The Kill Bills put me to sleep. We won't even speak of that Grindhouse shit. That being said, the guy does great dialogue. I envy his dialogue-writing skills. Srsly.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has its merits. Honestly, you have to separate the two films entirely. Burton's film was not a remake of Stuart's film; instead, it was a different interpretation of the book itself. We have to remember a couple of things with regards to these films.

1) The original strayed really far from the book. In fact, Roald Dahl hated the Stuart version and refused to ever watch it (Dahl wrote the original screenplay, but it was heavily rewritten by David Seltzer, something Dahl took great offense to). Not sure he would have cared much for the Burton version, but that's all we have to go on.

2) The second tried to be more faithful to the book, but took an odd turn wherein it focused more on Wonka's background, which was nonexistent in the book. I should note that the Oompa Loompa songs in this film were lifted straight from the book. Blame Dahl for the lyrics. Blame Elfman for the interpretation thereof.

3) We are all of the age that we grew up with the original film and so it stays with us while any remake would just suck in comparison. So we're predisposed to really not like Burton's version at all. I had to remind myself repeatedly that Burton's film was not a remake of the first film. Still had a hard time sitting through it.

In the Burton film, there were many elements I liked, visually. And I enjoyed a number of the actors in their roles. But one thing I heavily....HEAVILY...disliked was the absolute focus on all things Wonka. The film is called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, yet it may have very well been called Johnny Depp Acts Wacky Again. He may be a fun actor to watch, but in a film like that, he is overwhelming and that becomes irritating. Plus the added backstory of Wonka's childhood and dischord with his own father was unnecessary. I appreciate that Burton wanted to flesh him out a bit and explore, but it was about as necessary and effective as Rob Zombie's ridiculous exploration of Michael Myers' childhood in his Halloween remake. That man should be shot on sight.

Oh, and one more thing...someone PLEASE get a memo to Burton that Helena Bonham-Carter really isn't that great an actress and shouldn't be put in every film he does. I don't give a crap how many wonderful blowjobs it nets him.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

I doubt that I'll ever see what's good about Reservoir Dogs. I like Pulp Fiction for the most part, it looks good, but most of the Travolta/Jackson parts suffer from Tarantino trying too hard to be cool.
Jackie Brown much like Ed Wood benefit greatly by being the least emblematic of their respective director's style.
As a director he is a pretty good mixtape compilator.

Edit: Kill Bill 2 was better than the first, Death Proof sucked, and the only good Hotel Room segment was Rodriguez's.

Oh don't get me wrong...I don't really care that much for Reservoir Dogs either. I think the dialogue is what I actually like in that film. It's one of those movies that gets thrown in your face by self-appointed "film geeks". And as far as Pulp Fiction...I'd managed to not see it for quite a few years because the first time I tried to view it, I found it so boring and unwatchable, I actually preferred to throw Showgirls in my DVD player instead. Over time I learned to enjoy it just for mindless fun. That, and I'm horribly entertained by the fact that the wallpaper in the bathroom at Jimmie's house is the exact same wallpaper my mom has had in her living room since 1979.

I actually forgot about Jackie Brown. That film I definitely liked. Haven't seen it but twice, but I know I liked it.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

Ben:  "We've laid in a gala reception for your fair-haired boys tonight.  All of Twin Peaks' best and brightest."

Jerry: "We're holding it in a phone booth?"

It was really incredible to watch and caught me off guard. You definitely have to be in the mood for long, slow moody quietness, like Eraserhead, to get into it. And it has a similar lost soul protagonist to Henry X, too.

 Sigh.  For me Linklater is like some other directors I can think of -- think Christopher Nolan and Kevin Smith -- who at first interested me but then step by step with each follow-up film, left me less intriqued. 

 Slacker was one of my favorite little movies and showed such great promise.  Clever and original. Dazed and Confused = fun but less so.  Loved Adam Goldberg.  Before Sunrise had its moments.  After that, kinda feh for me.

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin