Watched the day after “Goodbye Lenin” – both films had prominant Ikea logos and young people living in European capitols and working in US fast food chains.

Just a note.

Liked the film as it unfolded, didn’t love the ending.

But does anyone know if Bardem is the actor in the more complicated wheelchair sequences? Or does he have a stunt double? Or did he learn how to use the chair?

This was difficult to watch in some parts. Exploitative, like Wiseman, but more old-fashioned. Think with La Jetee . . .

Voiceover that isn’t lame. Because Scorcese is brilliant. Music and sound are insane in the best way.

The DVD copy we saw had excellent special features – the story behind the parrot . . .

See also, Fiddler on the Roof.

We watched this with Nelson Pereria Dos Santos Vidas Secas – migration, livestock, gender roles, poverty . . . but you could also pair it with Coen Brothers Big Lebowski, which references the film in, I think, more ways than one. For a more lighthearted compartive study.

One of the great violent musicals.

i usually hate them, but the cut scene, towards the end, was interesting, and revealing. and the horror film s. made as a kid – brilliant!

i like this as a low budget, minimal effects horror movie, with a spooky house theme. and i like the strange, inarticulate dialog. the kids are a mite too precious . . . s. is a good actor himself in a disturbing and vulnerable role.

mel gibson freaks me out now, post “passion of christ” which I didn’t even see and this just adds more layers to his creepiness . . .

mixed bag, but a good mixed bag

I think I liked the cast of More Tales of the City better, except for Brian, who is better in the first series. . . . We got our Netflix queue backwards, or something.

Could you even follow it?

Not Ang Lee’s finest work. I couldn’t follow the plot, the visuals were interesting for about 30 seconds and the dialog made me cringe and look away.

but sad and violent and funny too.

Eh. I didn’t love it, but it is worth seeing.

I was watching this with a 3 year old and when he got scared I told him it was just exciting and nothing bad was going to happen to the girl, that she’d be alright in the end, because she was the heroine. Does that spoil the effect? Is it wrong to tell kids this?