Last Movie You Watched? the 8th

Prince of the City (1981, dir. Sidney Lumet)

A perfectly scripted, directed, and acted film about police corruption, trust, the special ties among police detectives, moral dilemmas, and other issues. Partially brilliant dialogue (the one on the plane when Danny talks about why a polygraph doesn't work linked to the theme of lying and insecurity about one's own convictions is intelligent, true-to-life, and compelling), and the camera perfectly captures the interiors and exteriors of the NYC crime enforcement world (and Virginia), which is splendidly used to enhance the overall story-telling. A realistic, clever, and compelling film. Without exaggeration one of the very best I've seen so far.
PRINCE is my new favourite Lumet movie, followed by Fail-Safe, The Verdict, and 12 Angry Men. Have to watch Network, The Hill, and The Offence again.
Still need to see Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon (and others, like The Pawnbroker).


Bride of Frankenstein (1935, dir. James Whale)

It's a distinctly self-satirizing film, but it takes many themes from the novel surrounding the identity and humanity problems of the creature (the novel is dead serious). Miraculously, it works, without ever really betraying said serious themes. It is certainly an entertaining romp with some meat to it, visually interesting, with some great special effects (Homunculi perfectly realized in 1935!). The reaction of the Bride to her hopeful mate, and the consequences the monster draws from it, wrap up the whole thematic subtext quite nicely. It's a somewhat moving, and at the same time fun film. More compelling than Cannot Branagh's try many years later, for sure.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Watched GOSFORD PARK for the first time in many years. I found it utterly hypnotic. I love Altman.

I'm gonna have to see SHORT CUTS ASAP.

I'm preparing to give DOWNTON ABBEY a go, and this seemed a fitting prelude.

The first season of Downton is probably still its best. It takes a little dive in Season 2 - one particular episode nearly makes the first season redundant, but then it's quickly forgotten and never brought up again. The third season has a number of episodes on par with the first season.

Really good show! :)

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Something about the last act really throws me off. The Mount Rushmore stuff just seems to grind all momentum to a halt. Other than that, probably my second-favorite Hitchcock behind Vertigo.

MISERY (1990, directed by Rob Reiner). A horror thriller that for the most part is curiously lacking in cinematic atmosphere (Reiner does not display a Polanskian genius in making the most of almost just one location - his handling makes MISERY seem less a film and more a TV movie, albeit a superior TV movie), this Stephen King yarn is nonetheless blackly funny and exceptionally tense (and intense), with an outstanding performance by Kathy Bates and a clever and witty screenplay by William Goldman.

Great Gatsby

It's a'right. Like a 7.5/10. Very Baz Luhrmann, all the usual flourishes. Cast does a bang-up job. Framing device was a little silly. Certainly the best film version so far, granted that's not saying much. But it's good spectacle.

Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Debicki are pretty hot in it, too.

Star Trek : Into Darkness - Well, Scotty's lil' alien buddy continues to be pretty pointless and the partial-remake aspect of the story is immensely cheeky (but I rolled with it as a 'nod' to long-standing fans, much like just going with the DB5 in Skyfall being kitted out with 'original timeline' gadgets 'cause it's the 50th anniversary Bond movie). For the most part, Abrams juggles the blend of affectionate referencing/homaging of Trek's past and a modern sci-fi summer blockbuster with aplomb.

...set sail for the Promised Land...

Star Trek III The Search for Spock

later today, the pretender.

JACK REACHER

I'm no fan of Tom Cruise but I loved this film. Okay, I worked it out from the start but that didn't mean it wasn't fun. The character was great fun, really kicking arse, and the fighting style was fun. The car chase was epic, very reminiscent of Bullitt, with only the engine note as soundtrack. The fighting style is based on Spanish gypsy fighting methods.

Great fun.

The League of Gentlemen

the obligatory tribute viewing, in this case for Bryan Forbes who starred in and wrote the film. In and out of the commentary with the late Forbes and his wife Nanette Newman. An unique film to some point but one I always enjoy. Be it for the army camp scene with its splashings of comedy (David Lodge et al), the characters (the gigolo, the old pervert 'vicar', the closest homosexual etc) and their camaraderie, the shots of 1960 London mostly changed (replaced by New Gate shopping centre, Lots Power Station long gone) and the end, where the gang's rumbled and Hawkins' slow march of dignity into captivity.
Huzzar for ol' Forbes, for Dearden, Hawkins, Alexander, Attenborough, Moore, Bird, Coote, Patrick and Livesey.

Killer Elite.

I always grab this on cable and had it on in the kitchen last night.

Possibly my favourite Jason Statham film, Clive Owen is in it too. Great all round performance.

The Shootist (1976, dir. Don Siegel)

A very fine and convincing portrayal of a dying gunman, with many themes concerning that part of life and the fading Old West treated brilliantly. Good characters, writing, dialogue, direction. Wayne is excellent, and Jimmy Stewart too. Another Siegel film worthy of being considered as one of his best, and one of the best films period.

Manhunter wrote:

The Shootist (1976, dir. Don Siegel)

A very fine and convincing portrayal of a dying gunman, with many themes concerning that part of life and the fading Old West treated brilliantly. Good characters, writing, dialogue, direction. Wayne is excellent, and Jimmy Stewart too. Another Siegel film worthy of being considered as one of his best, and one of the best films period.

I'll be finally seeing that pretty soon.

Star Trek XII: Into Darkness

excuse me chaps...got to move over...sorry lady...

About half way through ZERO DARK THIRTY. Bored out of my skull.

Finished ZERO DARK THIRTY. Maybe I'm missing the masterpiece. I was bored to tears. It was well-made. The raid was done well. Chastain is good. Maybe I'm missing the boat?

Nah, I agree. I saw it in theaters and felt very disconnected from it. I gave it a second chance on rental and I still couldn't really get into. I'm not really sure why Bigelow gets a lot of praise. The best film she probably ever did was POINT BREAK and at least that had the Busey factor.

I think she's good with a camera. I liked the film on a technical level. I'd just rather watch a documentary.

I find the use of the real 9/11 calls to be despicable, though. If it were a documentary, that's one thing. But to set up a dramatic film? No way. They should have hired voice actors to recreate calls, or better yet script fictional calls. What they did was disgusting. My opinion.

Oddly, I didn't find the torture sequences disturbing. I can't abide torture porn movies, but as this was rooted in reality and served a purpose in the story, it didn't bother me.

Watched the De Palma Scarface.

I dunno. I own it, along with the original, but it just doesn't connect with me like the Howard Hawks one does. It's bloated, and very obvious. The exact opposite of subtle in every way. And while I get that it's sorta the point, Pacino's Tony comes off really irritating to me where Muni's comes off charming.

Watched NuTrek. Wasn't too bad TBH, though the central cast ranged from just about passable (Kirk, Spock) to wretched or annoying children doing silly imitations (Scottie, Chekov). Will watch Into CGI Darkness, but only when it turns up on TV.

Python wrote:

The best film she probably ever did was POINT BREAK

Agreed. Certainly, POINT BREAK is no great work of art, but, like DIE HARD, it's an action flick that does an almost flawless job of achieving its lowbrow-but-extremely-entertaining aims.

I'm also quite partial to STRANGE DAYS.

ZERO DARK THIRTY is an absolute bore, by and large.

POINT BREAK is raised above being a mere action flick by its subtext and Reagan-era commentary.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

I enjoyed it. Gosling and Cooper were great, but Mendes really surprised me. Maybe it's because I haven't watched many of her films, I dunno, but I just didn't expect her to come out with a performance like that. Top stuff. Wasn't too fond of the third act though, and the ending was predictable as shit.

JAGGED EDGE (1985, directed by Richard Marquand). Unsubtle. Preposterous. Moderately entertaining.

Only thing I recall about that is John Barry's rejected score.