Last Movie you Watched?

I love THE LONG GOODBYE. I like MURDER, MY SWEET too, but it's been a couple years since I've seen it.

The King's Speech (2010)

How I'd sum up the Oscars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLFQG4iybDk

I'm gonna call this movie DRIVING KING GEORGE.

Gawd what a heap of crap this movie is. I like Firth, and he has his moments, but I kept laughing at his performance. He had this constant expression of not having taken a shit in three weeks. The only thing I liked in this movie was Geoffrey Rush. That's it.

I HATE HOW THIS FILM WAS SHOT.

Eeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I actually agree with Armond!

Quote :

Each scene in The King's Speech is so poorly staged that its ineptitude sometimes borders on the avant-garde.

Two hours of my life gone. And the Oscars are bullshit. I was on the verge of rooting for Hitler.

Oscar bait shit.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is top of my cinema viewing list along with Moneyball while Hanna, I missed during its brief theatrical run, but it tops my blu-ray rental list right now.

Saw Gomorrah on Criterion dvd. Chilling 2008 Italian ganster flick. Very realistic. In fact it's shot, right in the gangster infested Naples housing projects where the Commora clans are all powerful. It's based on Roberto Saviano's best selling book, that put him on several death lists. Matteo Garrone shot the film, right in the middle of the scene, and even got helpful hints from local drug dealers. Some are featured in the film. Athough this is not a documatary. It's a drama based on 5 true stories, found in the book. The film has a kind of embedded journalist's feel about it but it sure hold's one's attention. Italian with English sub-titles

I do recommend the 45 minute interview with the author that comes with the extras. Saviano knows the scene intimately. He grew up with the Commora. It's in this interview that you really learn about the Commora and their methods.

The whole subculture is brutally violent and scary in so many other ways, but oddly very natural to the environment.

HJackson wrote:

Thanks. I've picked up and watched Quo Vadis since I couldn't find anything else to pair with Gone with the Wind in the HMV two for £20 deal, and I've ordered The Fall of the Roman Empire now (along with Spartacus on Blu, since it's one of the few Kubrick films I like). Don't know why, but I'm in the mood for longer films at the moment, even though I generally prefer my movies in the 70-90 minute range. Are there any other epics you (or anybody else) would particularly recommend? I'm going to try getting Ben-Hur when it comes out.

if you can handle a silent film, I recently watched "The Thief Of Bagdad"
that had some monumental sets etc
and even colour! (but only one colour at a time though!)

Sharky wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

dr. strangelove wrote:

HANNA(2011)
Joe Wright, director

I wanna see that. I think I'm one of the few fans of Wright 'round these parts.

Well, it's the only film of Wright that I'm a fan of.

Why's that, Sharky?

It's the least pompous, talky, and worthy of his films. Unlike ATONEMENT (which is pretty much the cinematic equivalent of a megadose of Xanax), PRIDE & PREJUDICE and THE SOLOIST, it feels alive. By today's standards, the action's incredible, and it ain't too morally bankrupt either.

I doubt Soderbergh's HAYWIRE or THE BOURNE LEGACY will come close.

I like The Chemical Bros score too.





Beat that, John Powell.

I'd like to see HANNA. I thought the trailer was surprisingly good, given that the whole "high concept" - i.e. Jason Bourne as a teenage girl - immediately causes one to roll one's eyes.

I didn't check it out--my friends almost all disliked it immensely--but maybe I should give it a look.

I am, however, quite looking forward to Soderbergh's HAYWIRE, which has a similar storyline.

In the wake of HANNA, the basic conceit of HAYWIRE seems positively traditional. Especially since SALT already kind of did it before.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I love THE LONG GOODBYE. I like MURDER, MY SWEET too, but it's been a couple years since I've seen it.

The King's Speech (2010)

How I'd sum up the Oscars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLFQG4iybDk

I'm gonna call this movie DRIVING KING GEORGE.

Gawd what a heap of crap this movie is. I like Firth, and he has his moments, but I kept laughing at his performance. He had this constant expression of not having taken a shit in three weeks. The only thing I liked in this movie was Geoffrey Rush. That's it.

I HATE HOW THIS FILM WAS SHOT.

Eeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I actually agree with Armond!

Quote :

Each scene in The King's Speech is so poorly staged that its ineptitude sometimes borders on the avant-garde.

Two hours of my life gone. And the Oscars are bullshit. I was on the verge of rooting for Hitler.

Oscar bait shit.

eloquently put Tux. And nice use of the red stuff.

Crumbs, I still like that film but I wouldn't know how to film something even if I learnt at the feet of a 'master'.

Sharky wrote:

In the wake of HANNA, the basic conceit of HAYWIRE seems positively traditional. Especially since SALT already kind of did it before.

SALT's hook was a bit different, wasn't it? (I didn't see it.)

But what I find appealing about HAYWIRE is the fact that it's really just a "does what it says on the tin" action flick with a stylish sensibility and a good cast. That's all I need. Going by the trailer, it also seems to have a stronger sense of fun about it than either HANNA or SALT.

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

In the wake of HANNA, the basic conceit of HAYWIRE seems positively traditional. Especially since SALT already kind of did it before.

SALT's hook was a bit different, wasn't it? (I didn't see it.)

Same here. From what I've heard about it, it's different, but not majorly so. This sounds like a cross between SALT, the BOURNE flicks and MR AND MRS SMITH. That isn't getting my hopes up.

Harmsway wrote:

But what I find appealing about HAYWIRE is the fact that it's really just a "does what it says on the tin" action flick with a stylish sensibility and a good cast.

I prefer a surprise. Like a 5 oz. bottle of $3 hot sauce you buy from the local store, not expecting much, and discover it's the greatest thing you've ever tasted.

Good surprises are hard to come by. I love 'em when they do occur, but you can't go around expecting them.

The Caine Mutiny

One of my favourites. Bogart is brilliantly loopy, and Jose Ferrer has a tongue like a razor. The court scenes are great; the dialogue is wonderful. The final speech, where Ferrer rips them all apart as they celebrate, is always magnificent. I love it.

Sharky wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

dr. strangelove wrote:

HANNA(2011)
Joe Wright, director

I wanna see that. I think I'm one of the few fans of Wright 'round these parts.

Well, it's the only film of Wright that I'm a fan of.

Why's that, Sharky?

It's the least pompous, talky, and worthy of his films. Unlike ATONEMENT (which is pretty much the cinematic equivalent of a megadose of Xanax), PRIDE & PREJUDICE and THE SOLOIST, it feels alive. By today's standards, the action's incredible, and it ain't too morally bankrupt either.

I doubt Soderbergh's HAYWIRE or THE BOURNE LEGACY will come close.

I like The Chemical Bros score too.

Yeah, I really loved the score, too. The film is definitely an audio/visual treat.

You should check it out, Harms. I think you'd dig it.

SALT was nothing special. It was a decent run-of-the-mill, heavy-on-action flick. An enjoyable big-budget time-waster. It did have some stylistic pretentions, but it's primarily a star-driven commercial action vehicle IMO, in the Mr and Mrs. Smith tradition.

Jolie's The Tourist was a much smarter film.

Salt does have some very obvious Bond homages though, which should be of interest to Bond fans.

FRWL and DAD nods are obvious but I also picked up one for LALD. There might be others. We made a list in one of the old site's threads.

Nurse on Wheels

a Carry On in everything but name. Cast (Sims, Rossington and Dale chiefly), production and direction etc. Quaint in its way, pure Norman Hudis in other words.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Is this a good film? I honestly can't tell. Either Damon is duller than dishwater or I'm missing his subtle brilliance. The film itself is... pleasant enough. It mostly held my attention. I think it has a nice sense of ambition, but it seems to lack the balls to actually deliver that nastiness that I've heard Highsmith had in her books. The film is too concerned that the viewer like it, and worse, like Tom Ripley.

Ripley himself was my biggest qualm. The cast is excellent. Really excellent. The film is shot pretty well. I would have prefered nudity from Blanchett or even Paltrow to Jude Law, but it's face it, he is probably the prettiest person in the movie. At least more than Paltrow.

So... Maht Daymuhn. See, I've seen RIPLEY'S GAME with Malkovich, and THAT is Tom Ripley to me. I've not read the books, though I've had an interest in checking them out. Ripley, to me, should be a cold-blooded sociopath, not some sad sap with a jealousy complex. I don't like being asked to feel sorry for Tom Ripley. He should be feared as much as rooted for in my mind.

That's what did this movie in for me, the feeling that we should be sympathetic toward Tom Ripley and that he is essentially forced to take the actions that he does. I liked the scene near the end where Paltrow fears for her life as Ripley is in auto-lie mode. He seems to be a guy who automatically lies without concern for the outcome, but Ripley comes off to me in the film as reactive character rather than a proactive one. Or maybe I'm missing the boat.

If you've not read the books, why do you have such hardened notions about what the Ripley character should be?

Of course, I say this as a guy who doesn't really care what adaptations do to the characters of their source material, beloved or not, provided the finished film delivers something compelling. For the most part, the adaptation stands apart from the source.

Harmsway wrote:

If you've not read the books, why do you have such hardened notions about what the Ripley character should be?

Of course, I say this as a guy who doesn't really care what adaptations do to the characters of their source material, beloved or not, provided the finished film delivers something compelling. For the most part, the adaptation stands apart from the source.

I agree on adaptations. I don't have hardened notions of what Ripley should be, I just wasn't excited by Damon's portrayal and it felt to me that Minghella tried to make him more sympathetic.

As far as this film is concerned the jury is still out for me.

CARRIE

On my second viewing, I now realized that not only the ending, but also everything in the first half of the film is very well done. All of the characters, the mother in particular, are believably presented; not easy to pull off if you think of the Highschool stuff. The supernatural elements are worked in well, the whole unfolding of the story works well. I've also now noticed how superb the music is, it fits the scenes perfectly. The visual storytelling, the effects and music in the great finale are outstanding. The way I see it, the film gives hints that the mother's view of her daughter's nature might be true, but a different interpretation is plausible as well. We cannot be sure the girl's dream in the final scene is a real action by Carrie from hell, or just the stirring of her conscience.
This is one of the very few films that strongly affects me. Clearly one of the most excellent movies ever made.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I don't have hardened notions of what Ripley should be, I just wasn't excited by Damon's portrayal and it felt to me that Minghella tried to make him more sympathetic.

I guess I should rephrase my question: why do you find the sympathetic approach to be detrimental to the film?

Pervert's Guide to Cinema

Somewhat reinforced a lot of what I already knew, but still a great analysis of various films.

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

In the wake of HANNA, the basic conceit of HAYWIRE seems positively traditional. Especially since SALT already kind of did it before.

SALT's hook was a bit different, wasn't it? (I didn't see it.)

But what I find appealing about HAYWIRE is the fact that it's really just a "does what it says on the tin" action flick with a stylish sensibility and a good cast. That's all I need. Going by the trailer, it also seems to have a stronger sense of fun about it than either HANNA or SALT.

Hmmm.... I don't see anything remotely special about the HAYWIRE trailer. I mean, the cast is good (and Michael Douglas' presence is usually a very good sign), and Soderbergh's an interesting director.... but I saw nothing in the actual trailer that grabbed my attention. It all looks very routine indeed to me. I found the HANNA trailer far more impressive.

(Talking of trailers, I checked out the PROMETHEUS teaser - thought it looked dire.)

As for SALT, it's worth seeing, but only as a brain-in-neutral rainy-day rental. It does what it says on the tin, but certainly nothing more (that said, I've seen only the theatrical version, so it may be the two other cuts that have been released are improvements).

Loomis wrote:

(Talking of trailers, I checked out the PROMETHEUS teaser - thought it looked dire.)

There is no PROMETHEUS teaser. All you're probably seeing is a lot of fan concocted rubbish.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

If you've not read the books, why do you have such hardened notions about what the Ripley character should be?

Of course, I say this as a guy who doesn't really care what adaptations do to the characters of their source material, beloved or not, provided the finished film delivers something compelling. For the most part, the adaptation stands apart from the source.

I agree on adaptations. I don't have hardened notions of what Ripley should be, I just wasn't excited by Damon's portrayal and it felt to me that Minghella tried to make him more sympathetic.

As far as this film is concerned the jury is still out for me.

I believe Ripley is a role best played by the type of actor who plays himself in situations, rather than an actor who subdues his own personality and contructs a persona for the role

that's why I feel Alain Delon and John Malkovich were better suited to it, they could relate to the character better than Damon because they were closer in nature to being Ripley in real life

Loomis wrote:

I mean, the cast is good (and Michael Douglas' presence is usually a very good sign), and Soderbergh's an interesting director.... but I saw nothing in the actual trailer that grabbed my attention. It all looks very routine indeed to me. I found the HANNA trailer far more impressive.

The HANNA trailer bores me to tears. Especially visually.

And HAYWIRE won me over as soon as Channing Tatum had his ass handed to him, and then sight of bearded Antonio Banderas sealed the deal. Small pleasures, to be sure, but I didn't find anything to like in the trailers for HANNA or SALT.

Sharky wrote:

Loomis wrote:

(Talking of trailers, I checked out the PROMETHEUS teaser - thought it looked dire.)

There is no PROMETHEUS teaser. All you're probably seeing is a lot of fan concocted rubbish.

Yup.

Mulholland Drive
interesting film

watching it last night I thought it was developing into an excellent suspense thriller until the third act (about the time the two women went to the night club) when it ceased to make much sense to me and by the end I was very disappointed
Lynch's trademark atmospheric technique was there and lots of intriguing threads and characters were introduced but in the end many were left unresolved from my perspective, which I found frustrating and disappointing
it reminded me of Twin Peaks by the same director where much the same thing happened
what looked like it would become a rich carpet ended up as only an interesting coil of rope

however by morning, after sleeping on it, the situation had become clearer and I at least understood the main thrust of the film (at least I think I do)
the perky blond in the first half of the movie is a figment of the dark haired ones imagination, traumatised as she was by the attempted hit followed by the car accident, accompanying her on her journey toward the truth and recovery of her senses and memory
the same blond in the second half of the movie was the girl the dark haired one had a relationship with, the jilted lesbian lover who had tried to have her killed and then committed suicide
finding her body was the trigger for the dark haired girl to adopt a blond disguise and go to the nightclub to collect the blue box, although how she knew to do this is not clear to me
scenes in the first half of the movie featuring the perky blond on her own, are actual scenes from the life of the blond in the second half of the movie, before she met the dark haired girl
that's my theory anyway…
which is a kind of a dirty trick played by the director on the audience purely to mislead them
and the dissatisfaction with the unresolved threads still holds
for example the two guys in the diner who went out back, what was that about? we never found out