Brick and film noir [Archive]

gearhead364

08-07-2008, 03:27 AM

After hearing both Dan and Jeff talk about Brick, I decided to give it a watch. I ended up liking the film very much. Not only the film, but the style as well. Has anyone else seen the film and what are your thoughts? Also, if anyone knows some similar movies, I would like to hear about them.

cryonix

08-07-2008, 03:30 AM

gearhead364

08-07-2008, 03:42 AM

Synopsis of Primer sounds interesting, I will have to check it out.

cryonix

08-07-2008, 03:44 AM

Good luck with Primer. Watch it, let it soak, a few days later watch it again. Brick and primer are on my top (insert random number) list

runjun

08-07-2008, 03:56 AM

I've been meaning to watch brick but I always forget to grab it when I have a chance. I can say though that Primer is my top ten sci-fi movies.

heyseuss

08-07-2008, 04:00 AM

I've always wanted to play this game.

gWq1NPiedIY

joymarie

08-07-2008, 04:33 AM

I watched Brick a while ago. I think it was shortly after the first time Dan mentioned it on TRS.
As I remember, it took me awhile to settle into the movie. The over-adult-ey-ness (real word!) of the kids in the movie kind of threw me. Around half way through I started to really like it. I suspect that it's one of those movies that you like more and more every time you see it. I'm sure I would love it if I were to watch it again.

cooljammer00

08-07-2008, 06:32 AM

I had heard good things, but the dialogue style threw me off completely. I had no idea what was going on half the time, and after the movie ended, I understood even less. I get the plot, but I'm sure I'd like it more if I saw it again.

mrbook

08-07-2008, 06:57 AM

My quite famous one line review of brick:

If words were candy, Brick would be Halloween.

I don't know why, but in my mind I've always connected Brick with Primer.
Now primer is nothing like brick. So don't ask for an explanation for that thought process... I don't even know :)

That's SO frickin' weird! I was thinking that same thing, today! I had just listened to the new TRS, so I was thinking about how good of a movie Brick is. I was at the video store and saw Primer on the shelf. I started thinking, that Primer and Brick are kind of similar, in that they are both extremely low budgeted movies, with high aspirations, that turned out really good. I ended up renting it (I already own Brick, so I was set there).

aerodash84

08-07-2008, 07:00 AM

Film noir recommendations from my film class and self:

The Maltese Falcon (I enjoyed)
LA Confidential (also enjoyed)
The Usual Suspects (could be considered)
Blade Runner (Sci-Fi Noir from what he said)
Sin City (I definitely say fits the category)

Film noir seems like a much older genre so it would be cool to see a return of the genre like Westerns saw a bit and hopefully more this year.

heyseuss

08-07-2008, 07:09 AM

Film noir seems like a much older genre so it would be cool to see a return of the genre like Westerns saw a bit and hopefully more this year.

The best thing about classic film noir, is the womens.

Don't really know of the Western genre making a big return lately, I mean, yeh, 3:10 To Yuma, but that's it (has there been more?)... and that wasn't really even done in a very classic Wetern way.... Open Range on the other hand.... whew baby.

gabe_utsecks

08-07-2008, 08:47 AM

I liked it a lot, but its hard to recommend. It seems like it would be really easy for someone to think it was absolutely stupid.

I thought it was hilarious and genius. Film Noir in high school with absolutely no wink to the audience. It seems gimmicky, in retrospect, but the gimmick really only adds a layer of comedy. The character-driven drama and mystery underneath that layer are strong enough to work without the gimmick.

mrbook

08-08-2008, 06:04 AM

The best thing about classic film noir, is the womens.

Don't really know of the Western genre making a big return lately, I mean, yeh, 3:10 To Yuma, but that's it (has there been more?)... and that wasn't really even done in a very classic Wetern way.... Open Range on the other hand.... whew baby.

The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford was another recent one. Also, No Country For Old Men was sort of a Neo-Noir Western. There was The Proposition, an Aussie Western.

Not really traditional Westerns, like you said, but I guess they could count.

heyseuss

08-08-2008, 07:30 AM

The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford was another recent one. Also, No Country For Old Men was sort of a Neo-Noir Western. There was The Proposition, an Aussie Western.

Not really traditional Westerns, like you said, but I guess they could count.

I just read about The Proposition and decided not to put it on my netflix list. I can't really watch Guy Pearce, he's still a kid with a mullet in Neighbors to me. It doesn't interest me, should it ? I like outback westerns, or bush westerns.

See Open Range if you haven't.

morningglow

08-09-2008, 02:47 AM

I absolutely loved BRICK. I'm a sucker for quirky dialogue.

irishpunk

08-09-2008, 02:15 PM

I remember when I first saw the trailer online and I just fell in love with it then and there. I love film noir dialogue and that film to me was a love letter for it. The way the characters all spoke with this hardboiled language just felt believable to me. Sure it may be gimmicky, but it worked. Didn't get to see the film in theatres, bought it on DVD the day it came out and am glad I did.
If you want some film noir recommendations might I suggest...
Sin City
The Usual Suspects
The Maltese Falcon
Breathless (somewhat of a noir, the main character acts like Humphrey Bogart)
The Big Sleep
Memento
Chinatown
Reservoir Dogs
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
for a tv show try Veronica Mars.

tsmith15

08-09-2008, 03:23 PM

I don't know what Film Noir is but I did like the first half of Brick ( didn't have the chance to see the whole thing ).

poltah

08-09-2008, 05:34 PM

Most of those movies are modern film noir offspring in my opinion.

You want a REAL old school great film noir? You go watch Double Indemnity. It's awesome.

cryonix

08-10-2008, 06:44 AM

...also (because I'm a sucker for Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
"the Lookout"

Not Noir, but another one I've always connected with Brick . Jeff Daniels was brilliant in it defiantly an overlooked performance.

satori

08-10-2008, 06:52 AM

Dark City was recently released on Blu Ray and it's soooo beautiful.

irishpunk

08-10-2008, 04:35 PM

Most of those movies are modern film noir offspring in my opinion.

You want a REAL old school great film noir? You go watch Double Indemnity. It's awesome.

Another classic to add, The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart was the main man for film noir.

satori

08-10-2008, 05:03 PM

Another classic to add, The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart was the main man for film noir.

I prefer to think of Film Noir in terms of Direction and film. Actors may lend themselves to the genre, but they are hardly defining.

mrbook

08-10-2008, 05:10 PM

I just read about The Proposition and decided not to put it on my netflix list. I can't really watch Guy Pearce, he's still a kid with a mullet in Neighbors to me. It doesn't interest me, should it ? I like outback westerns, or bush westerns.

See Open Range if you haven't.

I've never seen Neighbors, so I guess I'm lucky not to have that stigma. That would kind of ruin things for me too.

The Proposition is definitely worth checking out. Especially, if you like Outback Westerns. I'll be sure to give Open Range a look.

mrbook

08-10-2008, 05:12 PM

Another classic to add, The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart was the main man for film noir.

Great flick. Another flick I'd add would be Touch Of Evil. It's very good, despite Charlton Heston playing a Mexican.

mrbook

08-10-2008, 05:13 PM

irishpunk

08-10-2008, 06:18 PM

I prefer to think of Film Noir in terms of Direction and film. Actors may lend themselves to the genre, but they are hardly defining.

Noir is about direction and story along with mood not just actors, trust me I know. Also add in some brilliant lightning such as this for example http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/BigComboTrailer.jpg

sugarsickness

08-10-2008, 07:16 PM

Noir is about direction and story along with mood not just actors, trust me I know. Also add in some brilliant lightning such as this for example http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/BigComboTrailer.jpg

Yeah, the lightning is really the most important aspect of Noir.

poltah

08-10-2008, 08:41 PM

The Femme Fatale is also essential.

heyseuss

08-10-2008, 10:53 PM

I've never seen Neighbors, so I guess I'm lucky not to have that stigma. That would kind of ruin things for me too.

Russell Crowe, Kylie MInogue too. I rememebr them when they were children, so it's weird. I actually sold severeal time travel movies to Guy Pearce when he was researching The Time Machine.

The Proposition is definitely worth checking out. Especially, if you like Outback Westerns. I'll be sure to give Open Range a look.

So it's an outback western, as opposed to bush ? More flat than mountainy and bushy ? Just curious.

puddlefish

08-11-2008, 10:48 AM

Has anyone mentioned The Third Man?

I frickin' LOVED Brick, I think it would make a fantastic TV show.

Joseph Gordon Levitt is great, anyone seen Mysterious Skin?

satori

08-11-2008, 04:14 PM

Noir is about direction and story along with mood not just actors, trust me I know.

Then why would you attribute a single actor to the genre? ...you confuse me.

irishpunk

08-12-2008, 03:03 AM

Then why would you attribute a single actor to the genre? ...you confuse me.

Eh I type in a confusing way I guess. My apologies.