It's a hard choice for me, because I basically think all of his films besides Permanent Vacation and Ghost Dog are great (and even those two have many great moments). I think I'll have to vote for Down by Law, because few other films so perfectly sum the way I feel about life.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 15:26 (sixteen years ago) link
down by law, though i need to see it again
― n/a, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
GHOST...DOG?
― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 15:36 (sixteen years ago) link
i don't think he's topped 'mystery train' since he made that (dead man comes close, I guess); broken flowers was so disappointing. so, mystery train!
― akm, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 15:42 (sixteen years ago) link
torn between down by law and ghost dog, voted ghost dog.
i didn't think broken flowers was all that bad, but i didn't expect it to be good either.
― Jordan, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:08 (sixteen years ago) link
i've only seen 5 of these btw
― Jordan, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Mystery Train is a sentimental favorite but something about Stranger than Paradise made me choose it.
― Trip Maker, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:18 (sixteen years ago) link
Broken Flowers is better than Coffee & Cigarettes; still awful
"Mystery Train" because nothing else I've seen was particularly exciting.
― milo z, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:21 (sixteen years ago) link
'ghost dog'
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Dead Man just about over Ghost Dog.
― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:23 (sixteen years ago) link
Can't decide between "Dead Man" and "Mystery Train."
― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:28 (sixteen years ago) link
i liked broken flowers. i haven't seen any other jarmusch film though.
― Mark Clemente, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:32 (sixteen years ago) link
Nick OTM, "Down by Law" never stops working for me. "Ghost Dog" is pretty great, too, but requires... I dunno... one more half a layer of distance to appreciate.
― kenan, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:36 (sixteen years ago) link
(i'm not going to vote.)
― Mark Clemente, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Broken Flowers was underwhelming upon my first viewing. It has become one of my fave movies upon subsequent viewings. Down By Law is such a beautiful movie.
― chaki, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:29 (sixteen years ago) link
down by law
― gff, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:30 (sixteen years ago) link
broken flowers was really good, chaki otm
― omar little, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:32 (sixteen years ago) link
Dead Man is almost as good as Ghost Dog, but Ghost Dog has RZA beats.
― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:33 (sixteen years ago) link
that mulatu soundtrack!
― chaki, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:34 (sixteen years ago) link
yes!
― omar little, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:37 (sixteen years ago) link
Mystery Train
but I could have just as easily voted for any of these: Night on Earth Dead Man Stranger Than Paradise Down by Law Ghost Dog
― nicky lo-fi, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 18:41 (sixteen years ago) link
...HE'S Gay
― gabbneb, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:04 (sixteen years ago) link
I've seen all but the first (though it's now in my dvd library) and the last two, and like Mystery Train the least
― gabbneb, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:05 (sixteen years ago) link
I don't know the answer yet
just put mystery train and dead man on my queue
― Jordan, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:08 (sixteen years ago) link
and yet the world continues to turn...
― n/a, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:08 (sixteen years ago) link
i'm going to act like that wasn't an xpost
― n/a, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:09 (sixteen years ago) link
no, the world pretty much waits for me, actually
― gabbneb, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 19:10 (sixteen years ago) link
stranger than paradise
nothing beats the five minute shot of dude drinking his beer
― lucas pine, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 23:35 (sixteen years ago) link
lol @ "all but the first two and the last two"
+ mystery train ftw
― roxymuzak, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 23:54 (sixteen years ago) link
learn to read better
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 00:21 (sixteen years ago) link
coffee and cigarettes is terrible. i like ghost dog and dead man. i havent seen anything else
― deej, Thursday, 13 December 2007 00:41 (sixteen years ago) link
In order, but the first four are pretty close: Dead Man (1995) Ghost Dog (1999) Mystery Train (1989) Stranger Than Paradise (1984) Broken Flowers (2005) Down by Law (1986) Night on Earth (1991) (this mostly weak, but the paris, new york and helsinki bits all have moments--the la bit is the worst thing he's ever done) Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) (also mostly garbage, but I seem to remember a few good bits.)
Haven't seen, don't care about: Permanent Vacation (1980) Year of the Horse (1997)
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 13 December 2007 00:58 (sixteen years ago) link
I lean toward Ghost Dog over Dead Man because I think it's more stylish and because the-inner-city-is-dying is more relevant than indians-died-a-long-time-ago, and because I think he gets the tri-state area a little better than the West. Greater reach than STP, sure, but not sure they're really better. Night on Earth was my first and yes the LA part sucks and I hate Roberto Benigni but while I haven't seen it in ages I think fake Spike Lee and fake Kaurismaki and faux whoever might still feel more soulful than any of his others.
I think I'm going to make a policy of not seeing Bill Murray movies from now on. No offense, you know.
I never intended to see Year of the Horse, but it's not a bad movie, even if you don't care about Neil.
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:05 (sixteen years ago) link
i like it!
― chaki, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:06 (sixteen years ago) link
more relevant than indians-died-a-long-time-ago
ok, sure it has lots of more current more-than-overtones, but they just aren't all that interesting
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:06 (sixteen years ago) link
wait, I've never really watched Down By Law straight ("straight") through, have I?
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:08 (sixteen years ago) link
lol, college
Down By Law has not aged well.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:14 (sixteen years ago) link
maybe it's just a lot easier to feel sad for Forest Whittaker than it is for Johnny Depp
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:14 (sixteen years ago) link
Well I don't think you are really supposed to feel sad for Johnny Depp.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:15 (sixteen years ago) link
The indie/artsy/outsider voice wanted to vote for Down By Law or Stranger Than Paradise. But the viewer in me won out and voted Mystery Train. Mainly because of it's repeatability. Screamin Jay Hawkins & Cinque Lee? Absolutely classic. &fwiw, Permanent Vacation was bad. Bad, bad.
― Bobbi Peru, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:36 (sixteen years ago) link
no I suppose not, but for what he represents I meant
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:54 (sixteen years ago) link
that Gary Farmer is so good-natured and has such funny sayings and no wonky eye
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 01:55 (sixteen years ago) link
*takes a reading course*
what you said is still retarded
― roxymuzak, Thursday, 13 December 2007 02:04 (sixteen years ago) link
i guess calling me names is a way to get me to pay attention to you. which, you know, i would never do otherwise.
― gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 02:11 (sixteen years ago) link
*takes a caring course*
― roxymuzak, Thursday, 13 December 2007 02:12 (sixteen years ago) link
i'm gonna see the golden compass tonight
― omar little, Thursday, 13 December 2007 02:26 (sixteen years ago) link
i know nothing about it!
nice
― space invaders are smokin penises!!!! (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 01:28 (four years ago) link
"grim stasis" is not only generous but inaccurate, it's not grim, it's too cute to ever be grim. I found this frustrating because the actors are all great, setup is good, and that's it... the tone is great, a mix of his last two movies Paterson (didn't like at the time but has really grown on me) and Only Lovers Left Alive (which I hated). really too many stars that are given short shrift. I don't think it succeeds as commentary since it's all reheated DOTD with nothing new. Everything in this movie is left unexplored. I liked the meta stuff, but fuck, go further with it! the grammatical joke with Buscemi's hat was great. wish the cast was pared down or it was longer, leaving the juvie kids hanging is a bizarre choice.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 02:25 (four years ago) link
ok, will have to see it
― Dan S, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 02:45 (four years ago) link
I don't think it succeeds as commentary since it's all reheated DOTD with nothing new.
To Dan S's point, it's 'Dawn of the Dead' but the new part is responding to a zombie attack with grim resignation and droll irony
― space invaders are smokin penises!!!! (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 02:46 (four years ago) link
He's been phoning it in for a long time
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 03:40 (four years ago) link
I loved Paterson and Broken Flowers!
was ambivalent about Only Lovers Left Alive but I think I would like it if I saw it again
― Dan S, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 04:00 (four years ago) link
Only Lovers Left Alive is the only one I sort of liked. Dead Man is the last film of his I genuinely loved.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 04:17 (four years ago) link
I don't think it succeeds as commentary since it's all reheated DOTD with nothing new.To Dan S's point, it's 'Dawn of the Dead' but the new part is responding to a zombie attack with grim resignation and droll irony― space invaders are smokin penises!!!! (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, June 18, 2019 10:46 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― space invaders are smokin penises!!!! (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, June 18, 2019 10:46 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
it sounds good on paper... and ilx...
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 05:00 (four years ago) link
This was fun until about the halfway point
― Got your butt drank (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 05:03 (four years ago) link
sayin
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 05:09 (four years ago) link
I hated Only Lovers Left Alive so much it almost put me off Jarmusch completely, largely because it was so serious and portentous but had basically nothing to back it up, idea-wise.
This worked for me bc it was self aware of how inessential it was imho, just sort of a collection of vignettes & variations on a theme. The Jarmusch film I'd compare it to the most would be Mystery Train - nothing really going on intellectually, but just an enjoyable collection of actors & scenery. I can see being disappointed if you expected more or thinking that its a good cast wasted etc, but I don't think it would have been improved by giving any of the actors a chance to really show their chops or anything.
― One Eye Open, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 13:04 (four years ago) link
Similarly, I took the politics and social commentary stuff as basically just being in there as a superficial nod to genre tropes. Like obviously he hates trump & global warming and stuff but I dont think theres much to unpack there tbh
― One Eye Open, Wednesday, 19 June 2019 13:09 (four years ago) link
Paterson was NOT a phone-in.
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 19 June 2019 13:23 (four years ago) link
saw Dead Don't Die yesterday and i think it's interesting to think about, but not exactly recommendable as a movie to watch. it doesn't work very well as a horror-comedy (for me) - it's never scary, and the laughs, even the arch ones, are rare. but that seems to be the result of deliberate choices to create this dry, unhurried tone. less a nightmare than one of those unpleasant and boring dreams that loops back on itself and never goes anywhere. i think the idea is that's where we're at in the anthropocene, etc. ironic 80s/90s listlessness (personified by murray) arrives to the 2010s and finds more of the same; his cliche-spotting hipster descendants are equally doomed. BUT some hope still rests with the self-motivated, boundary-refusing teens. optimistic, if in an oldster "i guess we failed, but maybe you kids will succeed" sort of way. anyway i think this is why the juvenile offenders vanish/escape from the movie.
the more overt touches of wackiness may unfortunately act as red herrings, giving the impression wants to be an over-the-top zany thing and is just failing at it. which isn't as interesting so i'd rather not dwell on it.
― Good morning, how are you, I'm (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 2 July 2019 13:40 (four years ago) link
with the exception of the expenditure on decent zombie makeup, it might be one of the laziest movies I've ever seen
if it wasn't Jarmusch I'd say it'd take a lot of effort to *appear* to be that lazy
― mh, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
The only big lol besides tiny car i had was those Sturgill Simpson cds being 12.99 when they had one song on them
― Fuck Trump, cops, and the CBP (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 2 July 2019 14:10 (four years ago) link
just saw Dead Man for the first time, I liked it but it not nearly as much as Stranger Than Paradise or Down By Law
― Dan S, Friday, 12 July 2019 00:41 (four years ago) link
it was beautiful as all of his films are, but it didn't seem as inspired to me. maybe I need to see it again in a couple of years
― Dan S, Friday, 12 July 2019 00:57 (four years ago) link
I wasn't expecting much from Mystery Train or Night on Earth as short story anthologies, but I loved them both
― Dan S, Friday, 12 July 2019 01:03 (four years ago) link
this was great until it was bad but i dont think ill let the swing to the latter affect my enjoyment of the former
― phil neville jacket (darraghmac), Wednesday, 17 July 2019 22:23 (four years ago) link
Dead Don't Die was about as ill-conceived as a movie could be: a meta Romero homage with designs on trenchant social commentary about as deep as the "This is fine" dog cartoon that mostly exists to give a director I once loved license to indulge in all his worst tics. I guess it looks like everyone involved is having a good time but man, I was mostly just bored. It's definitely the kind of movie designed so that everyone walks away with one singular chuckle, mine was the surprisingly nerdy shot across the bow at "Farmer Frank Miller".
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 1 September 2019 06:02 (four years ago) link
saw Limits of Control yesterday and really liked it, though it would have worked even better with less dialogue imo (esp. the awful Swinton scene)
― groovemaaan, Sunday, 1 September 2019 06:09 (four years ago) link
As I posted on the ILF thread
I just saw "the dead dont die" and I cant work out if I hated it, or it was really clever and dryly witty. I mean I'll happily watch Adam Driver drly remark "this is gonna end badly" on a loop for 2 hours, and the reviews make me think I missed something, but... enh?
― Stoop Crone (Trayce), Monday, September 2, 2019 10:00 AM bookmarkflaglink
― Stoop Crone (Trayce), Monday, 2 September 2019 01:04 (four years ago) link
That's how i felt
― FUCK YOUR POTATO (Neanderthal), Monday, 2 September 2019 02:11 (four years ago) link
sturgill simpson. good song.
― untuned mass damper (mh), Monday, 2 September 2019 04:40 (four years ago) link
just saw Dead Man for the first time, I liked it but it not nearly as much as Stranger Than Paradise or Down By Lawsaw it in a smaller room of a multiplex with surprisingly great sound, loved it & told my friends on the way out I would probably never see it again bcz it would be so underwhelming not being surrounded & shaken by the guitarhave no interest in Young as a musician otherwise either
― quelle sprocket damage (sic), Monday, 2 September 2019 04:48 (four years ago) link
(I’ve mostly seen Jarmusch on VHS or broadcast TV otherwise. Night On Earth, Ghost Dog, and either the Joie & Cinque Lee or the Tom & Iggy Coffee & Cigarettes were big screen too afair, maybe one or two others.)
― quelle sprocket damage (sic), Monday, 2 September 2019 04:55 (four years ago) link
re: the Dead Man soundtrack, I hope to see it on a theater screen at some point
finally saw The Dead Don’t Die. I don’t really know zombie movies so it’s hard for me to evaluate it outside of the context of Jarmusch films
― Dan S, Wednesday, 13 November 2019 02:44 (four years ago) link
would have thought having recently watched the others again I would like this less, but I really enjoyed it
― Dan S, Wednesday, 13 November 2019 02:45 (four years ago) link
It was dull
― Jordan Pickford LOLverdrive (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 02:45 (four years ago) link
First half good
I think maybe being immersed in Jarmusch films but not zombie films made me like it more
― Dan S, Wednesday, 13 November 2019 02:48 (four years ago) link
Could be. I am very zombie filmed out
― Jordan Pickford LOLverdrive (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 02:59 (four years ago) link
good song
― mh, Wednesday, 13 November 2019 13:02 (four years ago) link
it's the theme song.
― ☮ (peace, man), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 15:26 (four years ago) link
I lasted about 20 minutes with The Dead Don't Die
― The World According To.... (Michael B), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 15:26 (four years ago) link
you didn't miss anything
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 18:40 (four years ago) link
You missed a lot of references to Sturgill Simpson
― Jordan Pickford LOLverdrive (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 13 November 2019 18:42 (four years ago) link
made Paterson look like a masterpiece in comparison
that's a movie that's stuck with me despite not thinking much of it at the time - I bet it'll be the consensus late career pick for him when all is said and done.
― flappy bird, Thursday, 14 November 2019 00:51 (four years ago) link
Paterson was a better film, but I thought this was funny and I liked the way it looked. Was reminded that Amy Taubin spoke about the ‘radioactive’ quality of Frederick Elmes’ cinematography in the night-time scenes. The soundtrack by Jarmusch and Carter Logan was good too.
― Dan S, Thursday, 14 November 2019 01:13 (four years ago) link
Elmes' cinematography in Paterson was also great
― Dan S, Thursday, 14 November 2019 01:15 (four years ago) link
There were a couple Paterson jokes in TDDD! Even if the execution fell flat, it's pretty clear Jarmusch felt like doing a film of lazy riffing after doing a "serious" movie
― mh, Thursday, 14 November 2019 16:10 (four years ago) link
So wait theres not actually a ghost dog here or what
― Qanondorf (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 January 2021 20:46 (three years ago) link
Am I the only person who was disappointed that Ghost Dog used a gun and not a samurai sword?
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Tuesday, 26 January 2021 21:32 (three years ago) link
Several aging mafiosos also id say
― Qanondorf (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 January 2021 22:51 (three years ago) link
Just watched Only Lovers...I enjoyed it well enough. It may grow on me in the next few days as I think about it. There's a cue in the score after Marlowe's death that I'd swear is a variation on the Stooges' "No Fun."
― Profiles in Liquid Courage (WmC), Monday, 4 October 2021 01:46 (two years ago) link
on Criterion?
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 4 October 2021 01:49 (two years ago) link
Yeah, there's a new Jarmusch bundle with new arrivals OLLA and Coffee & Cigarettes, and Ghost Dog and Dead Man back for short engagements, plus the permanent library stuff.
― Profiles in Liquid Courage (WmC), Monday, 4 October 2021 01:52 (two years ago) link
In the last week i rewatched Mystery Train and Dead Man, partly out of curiosity because I hadn’t seen either in forever but loved them when they came out. I have to say Mystery Train didn’t really hold my attention. Maybe it’s a victim of its own influence, but the hipster riffs and in particular all the Elvis references felt a little rote. I did love the depiction of Memphis itself, and I didn’t dislike the film but it felt kind of pat.
Dead Man still rules, though. Just gorgeous, for one thing, and I think it’s grounded enough to carry all of its pretentions. The relationship between Blake and Nobody remains one of my favorite “buddy film” pairings.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 31 October 2021 14:28 (two years ago) link
I had the same reactions to both flicks, tipsy.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 31 October 2021 14:36 (two years ago) link